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LIVES OR 



Genera! Alvin P. Hovey 



>AND< 



IRA J. CHASE. 



By CHARLES M. WALKER, 

Of the Indianapolis Journal. 



[Copyright, 1888.] 



INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA : 

Union Book Company, Publishers, 59 Vance Block. 
1888. 



Carlon <& Hollenbeck, Printers. 



HOVEY AND CHASE. 



LIFE OF GENERAL ALVIN P. HOVEY, 

Z.akv/er, Judge, Soldier, Diplomats and Statesman ; 



TOGETHEK WITH A SKETCH OF 



IRA J. CHASE, 

Soldier, Preacher, Orator, and Commander of tlie G. A. R., Department 
of Indiana. 



By CHARLES M. WALKER. 



2v:?^;^ /^ 



INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA: 

UNION BOOK COMPANY, PUBLISHERS, 

59 Vance Block. 
1888. 



COPYRIGHTED 1888. 



CONTENTS 



CHAPTER I. 

Ancestry, Boyhood and Early Legal Career 5 

CHAPTER n. 

Service in the Constitutional Convention and on the 
Bench. 19 

CHAPTER III. 
Military Career 31 

CHAPTER IV. 
Military Career, Continued Ill 

CHAPTER V. 
Diplomatic and Congressional Service 154 

Sketch of Ira J. Chase 185 

Gems from Gen. Harrison's Speeches 194 

The Confederate Idea 199 



PREFACE. 



This little book has been prepared under the usual em- 
barrassments attending the writing of " campaign lives," and 
the results are doubtless apparent in defects of matter, form 
and arrangement. It has been compiled in great haste, and 
makes no pretension to literary merit, or to any other, ex- 
cept presenting in outline the record of a self-made man 
and a busy life. The subject is worthy of a more complete 
narrative. 



CHAPTER I. 

ANCESTRY, BOYHOOD AND EARLY LEGAL CAREER. 

In 1810 the white population of the Territory of 
Indiana was confined to a small area in the southern 
and southwestern portion, mainly near the large river 
courses. At that time the Territory had only four 
counties, viz.: Clark, Dearborn, Harrison and Knox; 
but their boundaries were extensive and almost unde- 
fined. Clark had a population of 5,670; Dearborn, 
7,310; Harrison, 3,595, and Knox, 7,945. The total 
population of the Territory was 24,520. Vincennes 
was the capital, and continued to be till 1814, when 
the seat of government was removed to Corydon. In 
1816 the Territory was admitted as a State. In 1820 
it had twenty-nine organized counties and a total pop- 
ulation of 147,178 Posey, one of the newly organ- 
ized counties, had been carved out of Knox, and had 
a population of 4,061. It was named after Thomas 
Posey, who had been appointed Governor of the Ter- 
ritory in 1813. He was an officer in the Revolution- 
ary army, and, previous to his appointment as Gov- 
ernor, was United States Senator from Louisiana. He 



8 ALVIN P. HOVEY. 

than the country for a poor boy who had to make his 
own way. Charles Hovey, an older brother of Alvin 
P., was a brick-mason, and worked at his trade in 
Mount Vernon, tiie county seat. With him Alvin 
learned the trade, and followed it for several years. 
There are still standing in Mount Vernon and vicinity 
brick chimneys built by him when a boy in his teens, 
silent witnesses of his honest work. Possibly a recol- 
lection of this early experience may have influenced 
him long afterward, when a member of Congress, to 
vote for the admission to his seat of a contestant who 
was himself a workingman. He continued to labor at 
his trade for several years, helping his sisters, who 
were very poor, and evincing the devotion to his fam- 
ily that has always characterized him. Those who 
knew him at this time say that, though extremely 
poor, he was full of ambition, pluck and aggressive- 
ness. " The boy is father of the man,'^ and these have 
been his ruling traits in later life. 

While he ^vas yet a poor boy ''roughing it'Mn 
Mount Vernon he attracted the attention of Hon. 
John Pitcher, a leading lawyer of the place, whose 
keen discernment saw there was ontcome in him, and 
who kindly interested himself in his education and 
development. This was grateful encouragement to 
the young man. Bricklaying was not altogether to 



BOYHOOD AND EARLY CAREER. 9 

his taste. He felt he would like to qualify himself for 
a different line of employment, and determined to do 
so. He could make a living at his trade and help his 
sisters, but he felt that with the talents and energy 
nature had given him he ought to do rather better 
than that, and, perhaps, even make something of a 
mark in the world. It is every man's duty to make 
the most of himself and of his opportunities, and when 
a young man feels this sort of prompting he should 
obey it. 

Young Hovey determined to become a lawyer. 
This required a better education than he possessed, 
but he resolved to acquire it. There were no colleges 
in the west in those days, and the facilities for obtaining 
an education were exceedingly limited. But where 
there is a will there is a way, and this youth had a 
will. He had a bright, receptive mind, a desire for 
knowledge and a taste for reading. By attending the 
local school when he could, studying at night, avail- 
ing himself of such instruction as he could get, and, 
above all, by devouring and digesting a few good 
books, he laid the foundation of a good, practical edu- 
cation. A local teacher named Hull, who was the 
author of an English grammar, gave him private in- 
structions one year. Alvin had a taste for language, 
and became a thorough master of grammar. All this 
time he was working at his trade as a brick-mason 



10 ALVIN P. HOVEY. 

though not yet twenty years old. The physical as 
well as the mental training of that period was of last- 
ing benefit to him. In 1840 he taught school for a 
year, thus paying his way and improving himself 
while instructing others. He had already formed the 
habit of systematic reading, and was familiar with 
Shakespeare and other English classics, and had been 
an extensive reader of histoi*y. There were few books 
in those days compared with the present, but they 
were more thoroughly read. A dozen good books 
read, re-read and thoroughly digested are better than 
a dozen libraries superficially skimmed. A liberal 
education may even be obtained without teachers. 
Colleges, professors and the appliances of education do 
not necessarily make scholars, nor even supply mental 
training. Men grow from within, not from without. 
The adventitious aids of education are almost as often 
an injury as a benefit. 

When the young man felt he had done enough in 
the way of preliminary education to justify him in be- 
ginning the study of law, he commenced reading with 
Judge John Pitcher, then and for many years one of 
the leading lawyers of Southern Indiana. Judge 
Pitcher had already done much to encourage him in 
obtaining an education, and, with so good a friend and 
instructor in the law, young Hovey found himself be- 



BOYHOOD AND EARLY CAREER. H 

ginning his new career under bright auspices. He 
had a sound mind in a sound body, and his ambition 
to become a lawyer was aided by tliat other great in- 
centive to hard work — poverty. Under these circum- 
stances he studied hard. Teaching school by day, 
reading law at night, and reciting at intervals to 
Judge Pitcher, he made such satisfactory progress that 
in February, 1843, he was admitted to the bar. 

By this time he was, for a young man, well known 
and popular. Having lived in Posey county all his life, 
he knew almost everybody, and almost everybody knew 
him. The story of his life, his orphanage, his work 
at his trade, his struggle with poverty, his kindness to 
his sisters, his difficulty in obtaining an education and 
his final mastery of the law were matters of common 
and good report among the people. Such things 
would naturally win a young man friends, and he had 
many. Fortunately, he possessed elements of character 
that enabled him to retain friends as well as to make 
them, and it soon became evident that he had a future 
before him. 

He began to get business at once, and, by prompt and 
faithful attention to it, had the satisfaction of seeing it 
steadily increase. The year after his admission to the 
bar, in November, 1844, he married Miss Mary Ann 
James. This furnished a fresli incentive and necessity 
for eifort, and he df'votod liimself with renewed energy 
to liis j>rofession. 



12 



ALVIN P. HOVEY. 



The Posey county bar at that time was one of the 
oldest and ablest in the state ; but Hovey held his own 
and obtained his share of business in the circuit. It 
is said that as a practitioner he was fearless and en- 
ergetic, but was not a brilliant advocate ; he must, 
however, have been an effective one. His qualities 
were not of the dashing kind, but were solid and sub- 
stantial, and he possessed that invaluable quality in a 
lawyer of always having a thorough knowledge of his 
case and a thorough mastery of his own resources. 

He had been practicing law a little more thaii two 
years when the war with Mexico began (184G). In- 
diana furnished five regiments of volunteers in that 
war, and Posey county raised one company, of which 
Enoch R. James was commissioned Captain, and Alvin 
P. Hovey First Lieutenant. Captain James was his 
father-in-law. The company was assigned to the 2d 
Indiana regiment, but the regiment and the State's 
quota being already filled, it was not mustered into 
service. Hovey's enlistment, however, within little 
more than a year after his marriage, shows that even 
then he was actuated by the same sense of duty and 
patriotism that impelled him to obey his country^s 
call many years later. Perhaps, also, he had an in- 
stinctive taste for military life, as ho certainly did 
possess marked talent in that direction. 



BOYHOOD AND EARLY CAREER. 13 

After this episode he resumed the practice of his 
profession with all the energy of his nature. The 
career of a country lawyer is not particularly eventful, 
and the next few years ran along smoothly and pros- 
perously. Hovey was now rated among the leading 
lawyers of the circuit, and got his share of business. 

A somewhat noted case in which he was engaged 
about this time illustrates his kind feeling for laboring 
men and his characteristic tenacity in conducting a 
lawsuit. '' It was," says Mr. P. S. Heath, '' what is 
popularly known as the William Maclure case. Ma- 
clure died leaving an estate valued at between $150,000 
and $200,000, which, at that period, was an immense 
fortune. He was a philanthropist, and devised the 
distribution of his property for the benefit of the poor. 
His will provided that all of his property should be 
given in the purchase of libraries for the ' men who 
labored with their hands, and who earned their living 
by the sweat of their brows.^ It provided, further, 
that sums not exceeding $500 should be expended in 
the purchase of libraries wherever there was an accu- 
mulation for a library amounting to fifty volumes. 
Alexander Maclure was appointed executor of the 
estate, and E.J. Rogers was his bonds'man. Alexander 
contended that the will was invalid, without effect, and 
soon after he took possession of the estate began to 
dispose of the lands the same as though they were his 



14 ALVIN P. HOVEY. 

own. Rogers viewed the distribution of the property 
with some alarm, and went to Hovey for his advice. He 
stated that a retainer of $50 — which was considered a 
large fee at that time in Indiana — would be given for a 
thorough investigation of the law, and a carefully pre- 
pared opinion as to whether the will was binding, and 
whether the bondsman was liable for the estate on ac- 
count of the manner in which it was being distributed. 
Hovey replied that he would make an investigation of 
the law and render a decision in two weeks. At the 
end of that time he informed Rogers that the surety 
could be held for all of the personal property disposed 
of; that the will was valid, and that it would be sus- 
tained in court. The opinion was rendered upon the 
basis of a very old English law — a statute passed in the 
forty-third year of Queen Elizabeth. The decision, of 
course, excited a good deal of local comment, and 
many lawyers took issue with Hovey. They ques- 
tioned his judgment and his authority, and some of 
them went so far as to ridicule the opinion. 

" Mr. Rogers was satisfied, and immediately ordered 
Hovey to present the case to the court in such form 
that the bondsman might be released from all further 
liability. Proceedings were instituted against Alex- 
ander Maclure for violation of his duty. Judge 
Pitcher, who was Hovey's preceptor, and who yet 
lives in Southwestern Indiana, and is almost a conte- 



BOYHOOD AND EARLY CAREER. 16 

narian, was pitted against him. The case was bitterly 
coutested, and attracted wide-spread attention. It is a 
matter of local history, and is fresh in the minds of 
all the old residents of the State. The battle which 
Hovey was fighting was regarded by all as a patriotic 
and philanthropic one. The heirs on one side were 
struggling for the property, while the poor people, the 
laboring classes who were anxious for libraries, were 
interested upon the other side. The Circuit Court de- 
cided against the position taken by Hovey, and he 
immediately took an appeal. The court above over- 
ruled the decision of the court below. The case can 
be found in the Fifth Indiana Reports, under the title, 
^Sweeny against Sampson, Ex'r.' The victory was 
one which gave Hovey a State reputation. He had 
not only unearthed the fine points in a very old and 
what was regarded an obsolete law, but he had suc- 
cessfully combated a great issue with one of the best 
lawyers of the country. The case before the Supreme 
Court was closely watched by the ablest lawyers at the 
bar. After the decision of the Supreme Court Rogers 
moved to have Hovey made executor of the estate, 
and the people interested in the proceedings immedi- 
ately indorsed the motion. Hovey objected, upon the 
ground that he could not give the necessary |200,000 
bond. The people, however, would not permit that 
to stand as an obstruction, and they procured the bond 



16 ALVIN P. HOVEY. 

tlieriiselves. He then began lawsuits against more 
than fifty of the men to whom the lands had been 
deeded, and he won in every instance. He reduced 
the estate to cash, and it amounted to over |150,000. 
All of this he distributed in the purchase of libraries 
for the laboring people, as provided in the will, and 
hundreds of thousands have been benefited by that 
work. There are scores of libraries now open to the 
public in the State which had as a basis a share of the 
Maclure estate." 

A gentleman who lived in the immediate vicinity 
of General Hovey during the long period covering 
these contests in the courts, and the establishment of 
the libraries, says the earnestness evinced by the Gen- 
eral in his work elicited the admiration and the grati- 
tude of everybody. He was very enthusiastic in his 
work, and took great pride in carrying out the letter 
of the will, and seeing the benefits it brought about. 
He says, further, that in that early day the beneficiaries 
of this will, and, in fact, every one who was conversant 
with the merits of the case and the part General Hovey 
had borne in the matter, were deeply impressed by 
his disinterested and extra-professional efforts for the 
public good. His services in this matter are still 
remembered to his credit. 

Thus, working patiently and faithfully year after 



BOYliOOD AND t:ARLY CAREER. 17 

year, the young lawyer laid broadly and solidly the 
foundations of his future career. Now as a lawyer, 
just as ten years before a brick-mason, he did good, 
honest work. 

It is the experience of most men that the early years 
of their adult life, when they are working hard, and 
perhaps living economically, to lay the foundation of 
a competence, are the happiest of their lives. No 
doubt General Hovey looks back to the early years of 
his law practice in Mount Vernon, before he had en- 
tered on a broader career, as among the happiest of 
his life. He had hosts of friends, a loving wife to 
whom he was fondly devoted, an interesting family of 
little children, a comfortable home, a good practice, 
excellent health and bright prospects. What more 
should a man want to make him happy ? 

By this time Hovey was beginning to take a pretty 
active part in politics — a business that has both made 
and marred many careers. Many a promising young 
lawyer has sacrificed his prospects, and many an older 
one his practice, by engaging in politics to the neglect 
of business. But it is also true that many lawyers 
have made politics a means of honorable advancement 
in their profession, and of bringing them into a wider 
sphere of action than they would otherwise have 
reached. Hovey was one of the latter. 



18 ALVIN P. HOVEV. 

The Democratic party was then strongly in the as- 
cendency in Southern Indiana, and he had hardly be- 
gun to take part in politics before he was called upon 
to serve the people in important public capacities. 
His legal ability and political activity caused him to 
be elected, in 1850, a delegate to the convention to 
frame a new State constitution. At this time he was 
thirty years old. In ten years he had risen by his 
own unaided efforts from the position of a poor, hard- 
working mechanic to that of a leading lawyer at one 
of the best bars in the State, and had been elected by 
the people of his native county to assist in framing 
the organic law for the State. So rapid an advance- 
ment as this was not due to accident or luck. It evi- 
denced ability that was likely to bring its possessor 
still higher honors. 



SERVICE ON THE BENCH. 19 



CHAPTER II. 

SERVICE IN THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION AND 
ON THE BENCH. 

Mr. Hovey came to the Constitutional Conven- 
tion with an established reputation as a good lawyer 
and a pronounced Democrat. The work of framing a 
new. constitution for the State was, of course, mainly 
a legal and non-partisan work, yet the political views 
of delegates would inevitably find some expression in 
their speeches and votes, and, to some extent, in the 
constitution itself The political parties at this time 
were Whig and Democratic. The State was Demo- 
cratic, and a majority of the delegates to the conven- 
tion were of that party. Hovey^s colleague from 
Posey county, the distinguished Robert Dale Owen, 
was, like himself, a Democrat, and both took a leading 
part in the discussions and proceedings of the conven- 
tion. It was an able body, embracing many of the 
best men and brightest minds in the State, of both 
parties, and, in the main, was actuated by a sincere 
desire faithfully to discharge the important duty de- 
volved upon it^ — that of framing a constitution for a 



20 ALVIN P. HOVEY. 

great and growing State, which, if adopted by the 
people, would become the organic law for a long terra 
of years. That they should frame a perfect constitu- 
tion was not to be expected, but that they made a very 
good one certainly can not be denied. With some 
amendments, it has served its purpose well, though 
some of the amendments, it should be added, have 
been very material. 

Hovey^s appearance in the convention was his first 
entrance in public life. He had practiced in the 
Supreme Court, and was known in professional ci-rcles 
at the capital, and was also known to the Democratic 
party managers as a rising young politician, but he 
had not what could be called a State reputation. At 
this time he was twenty-nine years old, of fine com^ 
manding presence, genial disposition, ready in making 
acquaintances and friends, and with an intellectual 
equipment sufficient to enable him to take and hold a 
leading place among the brightest minds in the State. 

The convention met October 7, 1850, and adjourned 
February 10, 1851. Mr. Hovey took an active and 
influential part in its proceedings. He spoke on a 
variety of important questions, and always spoke well. 
He had the style of a practiced speaker and good de- 
bater. His speeches show a thorough knowledge of 
law, a wide acquaintaoQe with history, and sound 



SERVICE ON THE BENCH. 21 

views of the theory aud bcience of government. He 
believed thoroughly in the capacity of the people for 
self-govern nient, and that they were the true source 
of all power. 

Among other things, Mr. Hovey spoke against a 
proposition to abolish the grand jury system. In 
concluding an able argument on the subject he said : 
'^ Those who sent me here want but a few reforms, 
such as have been amply discussed throughout the 
State at large and known by experience to be neces- 
sary. They want no new-fangled ideas, no experi- 
ments, no Utopian plans; they want that which is 
known to be good to be given them now, and leave 
all that is uncertain and doubtful to be tested by the 
future. This I consider ti be sound doctrine, and I 
believe it is ' batter to bear the ills we have than fly 
to others which we know not of.' " 

He spoke against a provision to make the State offi- 
cers ineligible for re-election on the broad ground 
that it denied the capacity of the people for self-gov- 
ernment, was an unnecessary restriction of their natural 
rights, and was anti-republican in principle. 

He spoke against a provision to restrict the power 
of the State in borrowing money and contracting debt 
for public purposes. He took the ground that the 
people ought to have the right, through the General 
Assembly, to borrow money whenever the public wel- 



22 AliVIN p. HOVEY. 

faro or necessities required it, and that this right 
should not be restricted by the constitution. In con- 
cluding this speech, after citing various reasons and 
arguments against the proposed measure, he said : 

"There is still another contingent event which 
might happen which would call for the exercise of the 
full sovereign power of this State. I approach its 
consideration reluctantly and with diffidence. I allude 
to the dissolution of our glorious Union, The storms 
and black clouds that seem hovering over the northern 
and southern horizon may break upon us much sooner 
than we anticipate. I hope and pray that such will 
not be the case ; but unless a better state of feeling 
shall calm the frenzied passions of the madmen of the 
South and the fanatics of the North, such a result is 
not to be classed among the impossibilities. And now, 
sir, in that event Indiana would resume her sover- 
eignty with a constitution prohibiting her borrowing, 
if necessary, the means to sustain it. If the dissolu- 
tion should be peaceable, no war, no public insurrec- 
tion, even though the people in mass should feel dis- 
posed to fortify our frontier, not one cent could Idc 
borrowed to do it. For these reasons, and a thousand 
more that time may teach us, I think we should reject 
the amendment." 

In the course of this speech he also said : '^ What 
is the duty of the constitutional reformer? Surely 
not to try experiments ; surely, not to try in how many 
ways he can impose checks and restrictions upon 



SERVICE ON THE BENCH. 



23 



the people. He should leave the people as free and 
untrammeled as a due regard to their prosperity and 
happiness will admit. Every unnecessary restriction 
that he imposes on the people is but an additional link 
in the chain that deprives them of their liberty. This 
wild course of adopting untried restrictions seems to 
rae to be striking at the very root of government/' 

The Select Committee on Homestead Exemption 
made a majority and minority report. The majority 
report favored homestead exemption, 'Ho consist of 
land or farm property not less in value than five hun- 
dred dollars.'' The minority report said, ^' That it is 
inexpedient to engraft untried principles into the or- 
ganic law of the State, and that more especially where 
the experiment can be much more readily and safely 
made by the legislative department. That it is both 
unwise and impolitic to distinguish between those who 
own, or may own, lands and those who have personal 
estate; and that, if the exemption prfnciple is estab- 
lished at all, it should be upon the broad basis of 
equality. The minority of the committee are of the 
opinion that a healthy credit system is one of the 
greatest blessings that the citizens of this State can 
enjoy, and are fearful that the sections reported by the 
majority of said committee, if adopted, would materi- 
ally injure, if not destroy, that system." 

The minority report was signed by A. P. Hovey 



^4 



ALVIN P. HOVEY. 



and Hiram Prather (of Bartholomew and Jennings 
counties). 

When this subject came up for debate Mr. Hovey 
spoke against the proposed homestead exemption pro- 
vision on the general grounds that it favored a par- 
ticular class and would prove injurious to the credit 
of the State. He concluded an able aro:ument on the 
subject by saying: *^If an exemption of live hundred 
dollars should be established in regard to real estate, I 
can see no sound reason why a like exemption should 
not be made to the owners of personal property. We 
should avoid making laws for one class to the injury 
of another. Without strong reasons to the contrary, 
the general rule should be, no law for the rich, no law 
for the poor, but a law for the whole people." He 
miglit have errcil iu his views, but there was much 
sound reason in his argument. 

In the course of another debate Mr. Pettit, of Tip- 
pecanoe county, speaking in behalf of homestead ex- 
emption, drew an historical illustration from the con- 
dition of the ancient Jews. Keplying to this, Mr. 
Hovey said : '' The gentleman from Tippecanoe has 
brought before the convention the fact that the ancient 
Jews lived under institutions giving to each a home, 
and argues their happiness and prosperity from that 
fact. Now, sir, 1 think there was some higher cause 
than that institution which guided that favored nation 



SERVICE ON THE BENClt. 'i5 

to happiness aud prosperity. Yes, tbo same God that 
led their fathers tl\roiig"h the wiUiernevSs and the Red 
Sea was aronnd and about tlieni tor proteetlon, until 
they forsook llini, and then even their homesteads 
eoiild not shiehl them tVom destrnetion." 

He spoke stron^-ly in tavor of extendluiX and pro- 
teeting the property rights of married women and 
widows, espeeially witli reierenee to separate [>roperty. 

The above are some of the topies on whieh Mr. 
Hovey addressed tlie eonvention at some hMigth. He 
also took an aetive }>art in tiie running di'bates, and 
was always listened to with interest. Pbose who re- 
lueinber the proceedings of the eonvention say he was 
one of the readiest speakers and ablest debaters iu the 
body. 

Hovey^s service in the eonvention brought him into 
prominence and made him acquainted with the lead- 
ing men of the State. Among the prominent Demo- 
crats of that day was Josepli A. Wright, an excellent 
man, possessing many admirable qualities, ami at that 
time Governor of the 8ti\te. He served as Governor 
from 1849 to 1857 — the longest service of any Gov- 
ernor the State ever had. This happened through his 
serving one term under tiie old constitution and om* 
under the new. A few years later he became the 
leader of the Douglas wing of the Democratic party 



26 ALVIN P. HOVEY. 

ill Indiana, and still later a prominent war Democrat 
and loyal supporter of the government. In 1850, the 
Legislature having authorized him to send a stone as a 
contribution from Indiana to the Washington monu- 
ument, he caused it to be inscribed, " Indiana knows 
no North, no South — nothing but the Union." He 
and Hovey had been acquainted before, but during the 
convention they became warm friends. They were 
somewhat alike in temperament, and had many things 
in common besides their political views. At that 
time Judges were appointed by the executive, and in 
the spring following the Constitutional Convention, 
Governor Wright appointed Hovey Judge of the 
Third Judicial Circuit, embracing Posey and ten other 
counties. He was appointed May 31, 1851, and took 
his seat as Judge the following October. 

A good nisi prius Judge needs to be thoroughly 
versed in the law, prompt in his decisions, patient 
and courteous in his dealings with lawyers and liti- 
gants, and conscientious in his administration of jus- 
tice. Hovey made an excellent Judge. His legal 
knowledge proved ample, his decisions were prompt 
and clear, and his dispatch of business was remark- 
able. When he assumed the duties of Judge he also 
assumed the dignity that belonged to the office, and 
was rigid in maintaining the dignity of kis court. 



SERVICE ON THE BENCH. 27 

Some lawyers, who preferred a loose and slipshod 
style, criticised Judge Hovey on this account, but all 
will admit that he was right. A Judge should main- 
tain the dignity of hio court under all circumstances, 
and he can hardly err on the side of rigidness. Judge 
Hovey served two years as Circuit Judge, making an 
excellent record, and retiring from the circuit bench 
early in 1854, 

An official indorsement of his service and record as 
Circuit Judge followed almost immediately, for in 
May, 1854, he was made a Judge of the Supreme 
Court, receiving this appointment, like the former 
one, from Governor Wright. Both were to fill va- 
cancies and unexpired terms. His service on the Su- 
preme bench was short, less than a year, but he ex- 
tended his reputation as an able jurist and a master of 
the learning as well as the principles of the law. He 
was nominated by the Democrats for Supreme Judge, 
but in the ensuing election was defeated by Hon. 
Samuel Gookins, who ran as the candidate of the Re- 
publican party — a party just then coming into notice, 
but destined to he heard from later. 

Judge Hovey was now deep in politics, and recog- 
nized as one of the leading Democrats in the State. 
He was a party man, but neither he nor anybody else 
foresaw the coming disruption of the party, or the 



28 ALVIN P. HOVEY. 

extraordinary events which were impending in the 
not distant future. 

Early in 1856 he was appointed by President Pierce 
United States District Attorney for Indiana, and held 
the office two years. Its duties were directly in the 
line of his profession, and he discharged them with 
conscientious fidelity. 

This was the last office Hovey ever held as a Dem- 
ocrat. He was appointed to it by one Democratic 
President and removed from it by another. The 
Kansas-Nebraska struggle, the Lecompton and auti- 
Lecorapton war, the Douglas and anti-Douglas fight, 
were now fully developed, and the Democratic party 
was rent by internal dissensions. Factional lines 
within the party were closely drawn, and the bitterness 
of the opposing factions was intense. Politics and par- 
ties were in a chaotic state. The Democratic party 
was undergoing a process of disintegration, while the 
Kepublican party was not yet formed. Thousands of 
men who had hitherto acted with the Democracy were 
reluctant to do so any longer, but were not yet quite 
ready to enlist under a new uame and banner. Cau- 
tious men hesitated and timid men feared to make a 
complete transfer of their political allegiance from an 
old and powerful organization to a new and untried 
one. Yet great principles and motives were at work 
which were destined to triumph in the end. It was 



SERVICE ON THE BENCH. 29 

the beginning of the end of the Democratic party as 
then organized. 

When the issue became clearly defined Judge Hovey 
ranged himself on the side of what was then called 
^* squatter sovereignty ^^ in the territories, as against 
the constitutional extension and establishment of slav- 
ery. He was a "Douglas Democrat/' and for this 
reason President James Buchanan removed him from 
the office of District Attorney. His successor was a 
young Democrat whose views accorded with those of 
Mr. Buchanan, and who was destined to figure some- 
what in Indiana politics — Daniel W. Voorhees, 

By this time, 1858, the split in the Democratic party 
was complete. The party was, in fact, going to pieces. 
The Republican party was fully organized, and was 
coming rapidly to the front as the party of the people 
and of the future. It was receiving immense acces- 
sions of persons of all shades of previous political opin- 
ions, including large numbers of Democrats who 
refused longer to follow that party in the direction it 
was going. 

Among those who left the Democratic party at this 
time and joined the Republican was Judge Hovey. 
He was nominated for Congress this year, 1858, by 
the Republicans in the old First District, but was de- 
feated by Hon. W. E. Niblack. After the election 



30 ALVIN P. HOVEY. 

Judge Hovey resurued the practice of his profession 
ill Mount Vernon, and was so engaged in 1861 when 
the call to arms came, which was to mark the begin- 
ning of a new era in his own history, as well as in that 
of the nation. 



MILITARY SERVICES. 3l 



CHAPTER III. 

MILITARY SERVICES. 

The long series of events which had been used by 
the plotters of secession as a pretext for an attempted 
dissohuion of the Union culminated in the election 
of Abraham Lincoln as President. This event was a 
turning point in the history of the nation. The 
steady aggression of the slave power had reached the 
open avowal of a purpose to dissolve the Union in the 
event of Republican success in 1860. While using 
the cry of ^^sectionalism" against the Republican 
party, the Southern Democracy had themselves erected 
the sectional standard by practically asserting that the 
government was nothing without slavery, and the con- 
stitution worthless unless slavery was to be both pro- 
tected and extended. Public sentiment, already de- 
bauched by a long and systematic course of Southern 
intrigue, was still further demoralized by the weak- 
ness and treachery of James Buchanan's administra- 
tion. Public corruption was the rule, and honesty the 
exception. Patriots blushed with shame, and traitors 
laid their plans openly. 



32 



ALVIN P. HOVEY. 



The election of Lincoln threw the South into a 
frenzy of rage. Four months of Buchanan^s adminis- 
tration still remained in which to work their policy 
of rule or ruin, and they no longer attempted to con- 
ceal their purposes. Dissolution of the Union was 
the Southern ultimatum — peaceably if they could, for- 
cibly if they must. The doctrine of secession was 
boldly avowed as a constitutional remedy against a 
Republican triumph, and the idea of preventing or 
^' coercing " a State from going out of the Union was 
hooted at by every Southern Democrat, and a majority 
of those in the North. Thus, the fair and honest elec- 
tion of a Republican President was made a pretext for 
an attempt to dissolve the Union. 

The firing on Fort Sumter, April 12, 1861, was 
the first overt act of war on the part of the aggressors, 
and the opening scene of the great drama which was 
to convulse the country and engage the attention of 
the civilized world. Its effect upon the North was 
magical. Party lines were at once obliterated, and, 
for a time at least, the only line of demarcation among 
the people was between those who supported the gov- 
ernment and those who sympathized with the South* 
The former were an overwhelming majority. The at- 
tack upon, and surrender of. Fort Sumter was fol-^ 
lowed by the greatest popular uprising the world ever 
saw. 



MILITARY SERVICES. 33 

The border States felt the shock and the strain more 
than others, and the border counties of these States 
most of all. One of these, separated only by the 
Ohio river from Kentucky, and more or less subject 
to Southern influence, was Posey county. While the 
storm was gathering, and before hostilities had actually 
commenced, some of the border counties realized the 
necessity of taking steps for local self-defense. Judge 
Hovey was one of the first to fully realize the signifi- 
cance of the attack on Fort Sumter, and the necessity 
of making military preparations. Loyal to the 'core, 
and ardent and impulsive by nature, he was roused to 
the highest pitch of patriotic indignation by this prac- 
tical declaration of war against the government, and he 
at once became one of the most prominent and active in 
devising measures of safety and defense. On the 21st 
of May the Board of Commissioners of Posey county 
" ordered that Robert Dale Owen and Alvin P. Hovey 
be, and they are hereby, authorized and directed to go 
to Indianapolis, or any other place they may deem 
. proper, to negotiate for arms for Posey county. The 
said agents are authorized and empowered to propose to 
the State of Indiana, on behalf of Posey county, to 
advance $10,000 for the purchase of arms, for the use 
of Posey county, in consideration of receiving from 
the State a like sum in State bonds. Said arms to be 
delivered to the Board of Commissioners of said county, 



34 ALVIN P. HOVEY. 

and subject to their disposal under the laws of the 

State." 

This mission to Indianapolis brought Hovey into 
personal contact with Go.vernor O. P. Morton, who 
immediately recognized in him a valuable and pow- 
erful aid in the great work now about to be devolved 
upon him. They were acquainted before this time, 
and each knew something of the other\s ability, but 
they had not been thrown into close relations. Ho- 
vey was two years the older. Both had been Demo- 
crate, and both had left the party on account of the 
slaveiy question or questions growing out of it. Both 
realized the gravity of the present situation, and fore- 
saw the coming storm. 

Governor Morton was quick to read men, and had a 
keen eye for such as he could trust and utilize. In 
the gigantic work and responsibility devolved upon 
him he had need of all the loyal aids and helpers he 
could get, and most loyally did the noble sons of In- 
diana respond to his call and that of President Lin- 
coln through him. Hovey was one of those whom he 
early selected as one of liis trusted helpers. From the 
first visit of Hovey and Owen to Indianapolis to ob- 
tain arms for Posey county until the end of the war 
he and Morton were close friends and co-workers in 
the Union cause. Hovey was a man after Governor 
Morton's own heart — loyal, brave, fearless, zealous and 



MILITARY SERVICES. 



35 



untii'iiig, true to his country, his government and his 
party. 

The people of Indiana do not need to be reminded 
of the great labors performed and the immense serv- 
ices to the State rendered by Governor O. P. Morton 
during the war period. A volume might be written 
concerning them and the half not told. They will be 
remembered as long as the history of the war con- 
tinues to be read. It would be impossible here even 
to catalogue them. Among other things he did in the 
first months of the war was to organize what was 
known as the Indiana Legion for the defense of the 
State and other duty independent of the national gov- 
ernment. It proved a very valuable organization in 
more than one emergency, and became a sort of train- 
ing school for the army, out of which a large number 
of officers and men subsequently passed into the active 
service. 

Shortly after his return to Mount Vernon from his 
mission to Indianapolis concerning arms, Hovey, at 
the request of Governor Morton, assisted in raising 
and organizing a regiment for the Home Legion. It 
was the First Regiment, First Brigade, of the Legion, 
and was raised wholly in Posey County. Hovey was 
commisioned Colonel of the regiment " He evinced,'^ 
says the Adjutant-Generars report, '^the utmost zeal, 
energy and tact, to which the loyal people of his 



36 ALVIN P. HOVEY. 

county responded with cordial alacrity, aud his com- 
mand was making rapid progress toward military 
efficiency when, about three months from the date of 
his appointment, he resigned his commission to accept 
the Colonelcy of the Twenty-fourth Indiana Volun- 
teers." His falher-in-law, Colonel Enoch R. James, 
succeeded him as Colonel of this Posey county regi- 
ment. 

By this time it had become pretty evident that the 
government had a long and hard struggle before it. The 
first battle of Bull Run, fought July 21, 1861, and re- 
sulting disastrously to the Union cause, had been fol- 
lowed by a call for additional troops, which opened the 
door for many who did not get in under the first call. 
The Twenty fourth Regiment was recruited in the coun- 
ties of Posey, Knox, Vanderburgh, Lawrence, Pike, 
Orange and Daviess. Hovey was commissioned Col- 
onel of the regiment August 13, 1861. The following 
brief sketch of its service will interest old members : 

The Twenty-fourth Regiment was organized and 
mustered into service at Vincennes July 31, 1861, 
with Alvin P. Hovey as Colonel, and on the 19th of 
August marched to St. Louis, joining Fremont's army 
at that place; it moved into the interior of Missouri, 
where it remained until February, 1862, when it was 
ordered to reinforce the army then investing Fort 
Donelson. Reaching Paducah, Ky., the day after the 



MILITARY SERVICES. 37 

surrender of Fort Donelson, it proceeded to Fort 
Henry, where it remained until the march of Grant's 
army to Pittsburg Landing. It was engaged in the 
battle of Shiloh, losing many men and officers. Colonel 
Hovey being promoted a Brigadier-General on the 
28th of April, Major Spicely became Colonel of 
the regiment. In May and June following it partici- 
pated in the siege of Corinth, and after the evacuation 
proceeded across the country to Memphis. In July 
the regiment was transferred to Helena, Arkansas, 
where it remained during the winter, engaged in sun- 
dry expeditions sent out from that post. In the 
spring of 1863 it joined Grant's army, and was with 
Hovey's division of the Thirteenth Corps during the 
campaign against Vicksburg, engaging in all the bat- 
tles and skirmishes, including the battles of Port Gib- 
son and Champion Hill. During the siege of Vicks- 
burg it was actively engaged in the trenches from the 
19th of May until the 4th of July, and after the sur- 
render sailed for New Orleans, reaching that city in 
August. In the fall of 1863 the regiment was on 
duty at New Iberia, Louisiana, and subsequently at 
Algiers, near New Orleans, where, January 1, 1864, 
it re-enlisted as a veteran organization, and soon after 
visited Indiana on furlough. During the year 1864 
it was stationed at different points in Louisiana. In 
January, 1865, it was transferred to Florida, remain- 
ing there until the movement was made against Mo- 
bile in April, when it moved to the vicinity of that 
city and participated in the siege, taking part in the 
battles and assaults. From here it was sent to Selma, 



38 ALVIN P. HOVEY. 

Alabama, aod thence again to Galveston, Texas. Five 
companies of the regiment were mustered out July 19, 
1865, and had a public reception at Indianapolis on 
the 4th of August, at which General Hovey and oth- 
ers delivered addresses. The rest of the regiment was 
not mustered out till the fall of 1865. 

The regiment, while organizing, rendezvoused at 
Vincennes. Along with Colonel Hovey's commission 
came marching orders, directing it to proceed at once 
to St. Louis. All old soldiers remember how green 
and undisciplined, yet how patriotic and warlike, new 
regiments were. " Scarcely had the Twenty-fourth 
pitched its tents in St. Louis," says Mr. Heath, " and 
entered upon the regular preparations for war, till the 
boys became anxious to fight.. Colonel Hovey\s com- 
bative disposition seemed to be catching, and it 
spread throughout the command an anxiety to move 
to the front. The Colonel went to General Fremont 
and told him that he wanted to move his troops out- 
side of the city, to which Fremont responded that the 
Twenty-fourth could be taken to any point in the 
vicinity desired, but that it should not be permitted 
to go beyond easy signal. Colonel Hovey moved to 
Carondelet, ju4 outside of St, Louis, where an open 
space suitable for drilliti<2: ground was found. Here 
the regiment was daily drilled from daylight to dark. 
The discipline was kindly but very po-^itively enforced. 



MILITARY SERVICES. 39 

Some of the boys complained at that time at the hard 
work they were compelled to undergo, and it was here 
that the commander was accused of being '^ tyran- 
nical," but not many months were permitted to elapse 
before those same soldiers saw the wisdom of Colonel 
Hovey^s action, and they praised him for it. He in- 
sisted upon company and battalion drills, and dress 
parade late in the afternoon, and a night school for 
the officers. It was extremely hard work, but upon 
none did the duties fall so arduously as upon the com- 
mander. 

"When the new forces then at St. Louis were formed 
into divisions, Hovey was given command of one, 
although he was the youngest Colonel in that army. 
The ability he displayed- in drilling his men recom- 
mended him for the confidence which was thus im- 
posed." 

The service of the regiment in Missouri, though 
involving some laborious marches and useful expedi- 
tions, was not marked by any conspicuous military 
events. Its real history began after it was ordered to 
Tennessee. There it was brigaded with the Eleventh 
Indiana and the Eighth Missouri and attached to the 
Third Division of the Army of the Tennessee, General 
Lew. Wallace commanding. The brigade was in the 
battle of Shiloh, April 6 and'?, 1862, and the Twenty- 
fourth lost fiftv-one men killed and wounded. In his 



40 ALVIN P. HOVEY. 

official report of the battle, General Wallace mentions 
Colonel Hovey among those to whom '^ the gratitude 
of the whole country is due." Colonel Hovey's of- 
ficial report shows that the regiment had hot work 
and hard fighting. He said : ^^ I say, with a pride I 
can not conceal, that the Twenty-fourth never faltered 
nor gave back one inch from the first charge in the 
morning until the enemy gave way in the evening. 
In an exposed condition in the open field, over hill, 
valley and woodland for more than three miles, as- 
sailed by every missile known in modern war, their 
march was onward, with loud cheers, and full of confi- 
dence in victory." For gallantry and services in the 
battle of Shiloh Colonel Hovey was promoted to 
Brigadier-General, his commission dating April 28, 
1862. 

The next few months were spent in scouting, skir- 
mishing, etc. Without entering into detail as to 
General Hovey's movements and services, it is enough 
to say they were varied and important, and show that 
he had the confidence of his superior officers. June 
24, 1862, General U. S. Grant, writing to General 
Halleck, from Memphis, Tenn., said : '' On my arrival. 
General Wallace applied for a leave of absence. I 
granted it to the extent of mv authority, the com- 
mand being left with General Hovey, who is fully 
qualified to fill the place of the former commander/' 



MILITARY SERVICES. 41 

Memphis at this time "was a hot-bed of disloyalty. 
When General Grant established his headquarters 
there he found that constant communication existed 
between soldiers in the rebel army and their friends 
in Memphis, and he accordingly ordered the families 
of all persons in the rebel army or in the service of 
the rebel government to move south beyond the lines 
in five days from the date of his order, or take an 
oath that they had not furnished information to the 
enemy, and that they would not give intelligence to 
him in the future. 

After a short administration General Grant returned 
to Corinth, leaving the reins in the hands of General 
Hovey, who, still increasing the rigor of Federal rule, 
required all male residents of the city between the 
ages of eighteen and forty-five to take the oath of 
allegiance. Between one and two thousand succumbed, 
and five hundred who refused were exiled from the 
.city. 

The measure subjected General Hovey to severe 
criticism. The New York Herald, echoed by minor 
papers, sneered at the Indiana commandant, insinuat- 
ing that, clothed with a little brief authority, he was 
led into indiscreet arrogance, and accused iiim of in- 
creasing the strength of the rebel army by the addi- 
tion of at least a thousand men. Admitting the ac- 
cusation, General Hovey considered a thousand armed 



42 ALVIN P. HOVEY. 

enemies without the Federal lines less dangerous than 
a thousand enemies within, even though the latter 
should be armed only with a bitter and venomous 
tongi.-^ 

General Sherman was of the same opinion, and on 
taking command of the post confirmed Hovey\s order, 
and added restrictions upon trade for the purpose of 
preventing the passage of gold, silver and treasury 
notes into the Confederacy. 

General Hovey remained in command at Memphis 
only a short time, and was then ordered to Helena, 
Arkansas. On the 2d of November, 1862, he was 
assigned to the command of the district of Eastern 
Arkansas, Department of the Missouri, headquarters 
at Helena. Here he commanded about 30,000 men, 
many of them Indiana troops, including the Eighth, 
Eleventh, Twenty-third, Twenty-fourth, Twenty-sixth, 
Thirty-third, Thirty-fourth, Forty-third, Forty-sixth 
and Forty-seventh Regiments, and some Indiana bat- 
teries and cavalry. 

A characteristic incident which occurred at Helena 
is thus related: "While in command here another 
General Hovey figured in the history of the Federal 
army at Oldtown, near Helena. The second Hovey 
was in no way connected by blood or otherwise with 
General Alvin P. Hovey. The former's name was 
Charles E, Hovey, from Illinois, and he was called by 



MILITARY SERVICES. 43 

the boys in blue ^ Cotton Hovey/ while the Indian ian 
was known as the ^Anti-Cotton Hovey/ 

" There was a great deal of cotton speculation going 
on among some of the Federal commanders, and the 
intense opposition to jobbery of this character on the 
part of the Indiana General was outspoken at all times. 
He never missed an occasion to denounce the specula- 
tors in the bitterest terms. Instead of participating 
in or countenancingthe speculations in cotton, General 
Ho vey burned cotton-gins and seed wherever he found 
them in the hands of the enemy, and advocated the 
depletion of the country as one of the surest means of 
driving the Confederates to a final surrender. 

•' The connection of several Federal officers with cot- 
ton speculations resulted in an investigation by a court 
of inquiry under Major-General McDowell at St. 
Louis. The reports and complaints made by General 
Hovey doubtless had much to do with bringing about 
this court of inquiry. The General flatly informed his 
superior commanders that he did not propose to longer 
wink at these transactions, and that he was very weary 
of placing his soldiers to guard the cotton belonging 
to speculators. On one occasion the Forty-sixth In- 
diana had lost several men who were placed to guard 
cotton under command of General Curtis, and this 
made General Hovey extremely impatient, and led him 



44 ALVIN P. HOVEY. 

to call the attention of the Secretary of \Var to these 
affairs officially. 

"An incident occurred precipitating this action which 
was very fortunate for General Hovey, as it put an end 
to the cotton trafficking. A man named Sprague, con- 
nected with immense cotton-mills in New Jersey, 
passed up the river one day on a steamer loaded with 
cotton. General Hovey discovered and hailed the 
steamer with a cannon-ball, bringing it in. When 
Sprague stepped ashore and advanced toward General 
Hovey, the sight of the man made the latter's blood 
almost boil. General Hovey told him that if it was in 
his authority to do so he would -like to stretch the neck 
of every cotton jobber until they would not be recog- 
nized by their friends. Sprague was taken aback ; but 
he parried the thrust by coolly drawing from his pocket 
an order signed by Secretary Stanton, who had given 
him authority to pass through the Federal lines for that 
business. The authority to do this work did not, how- 
ever, cool the indignation of the officers and soldiers. 
General Townsend, Adjutant-General United States 
army, soon came down to Helena, and the soldiers be- 
ing assembled in the new 'Fort Curtis,' just finished 
he addressed them on matters pertaining to the condi- 
tion of the country. 

" The boys in blue cried aloud, ' Hovey !' ' Hovey !' 
and the General responded. He told the Adjutant- 



MILITARY SERVICES. 45 

General to go back to WashiDgton and tell President 
Lincoln that he and his men were tired of fighting for 
cotton ; that he had lately marched into the very heart 
of Mississippi, and found Yankees and Jews dealing 
in cotton and acting like spies in every direction. 
Then General Hovey went to General Grant, at 
Young's Point, and told him that he wanted to leave 
the army and go home and enter private life if he 
could not be dissevered from every officer or man who 
was engaging in cotton speculation and barters, which 
were costing the lives of good men every day. He 
said that he would not further protect those who were 
dealing in cotton, and that he wanted to know then 
and there whether he should resign his commission in 
the array, or be relieved from further service at 
Helena. General Grant told him to go back and pick 
out 10,000 of the best men he had and come to him. 
This, General Hovey did; and this explains why he 
left Helena. 

^^ While the court of inquiry was pursuing its in- 
vestigation General Hovey wrote General McDowell 
in reference to the confusion in the public mind about 
the two Hoveys. He received the following reply, 
which was a complete exoneration : 

"St. Louis, Mo., April 11, 1863. 
" General — I received last night your letter of 
the 6th. There is no misapprehension in the minds 



46 ALVIN P. HOVEY. 

of the court as to which ^ General Hovey ' has been 
referred to in connection with traffic, etc., in cotton. 
The record of the court is clear on the same point. 
It may have happened, in the course of examination, 
that a witness, after having stated which Hovey he 
referred to, has stated that General Hovey did this oi- 
that without again saying General C. E. Hovey, or 
General Hovey, of Illinois. I have shown your letter 
to one of the reporters, and he will see that a notice is 
made of it in the papers. I have the honor to be, 
very respectfully, your most obedient servant, 

''Irvin McDowell, Major-General. 
" Brigadier- General Ahin P: Hovey, commanding 

Twelfth Division, Thirteenth Army Corps, Helena, 

Ark:' 

On the 27th of November, 1862, he left Helena in 
command of an expedition to the vicinity of Grenada, 
Mississippi, intending to create a diversion in favor 
of Grant's movement in another quarter. On this 
expedition Hovey commanded 5,000 infantry, 2,000 
cavalry and fourteen field-pieces. After a long and 
hard march he succeeded in cutting the railroads, 
stampeding the rebel forces at Grenada, and returning 
safely through the enemy\s country witli slight loss. 
These aggressive expeditions were kept up during 
most of the winter. 

After General Hovey went to Helena, General W. 
T. Sherman wrote to him from Memphis, October 29, 
1862: ^^ I was pleased to hear that you had succeeded 



MILITARY SERVICES. 47 

to the commaDd at Helena. We should keep up a 
correspondence of ideas, for although we are in differ- 
ent departments we are near together.^' The rest of 
the letter was semi-personal and very friendly. A 
constant correspondence and close relations were 
kept up between Sherman at Memphis and Hovey at 
Helena. 

Following is General Hovey's official report of an 
expedition made about this time : 

Headquarters Expedition into Mississippi, ) 
Mouth of Ooldwater, Dec. 5, 1862. ' J 

General: I have the honor to report that, in con- 
formity with your orders, and orders heretofore re- 
ceived by me from Major-General Curtis, I embarked 
five thousand infantry of the Second and Fourth Di- 
visions, and two thousand cavalry, together with two 
sections from each battery belonging to said divis- 
ions, on board sixteen steamers at Helena, and disem- 
barked the same at Delta on the 27th ultimo. The 
cavalry, on the following day, under command of 
Brigadier-General Washburn, was pushed forward to 
the mouth of Ooldwater, a distance of forty- five miles 
and, after a spirited skirmish, drove the enemy's pick- 
ets from the east bank of the Tallahatchie. The pi- 
oneer company, under command of First Lieutenant, 
immediately coriimenced building a bridge across the 
Tallahatchie, which was finished by 4 o'clock p. m. on 
the next day, by which time the head of the infantry 
column had reached the west bank of the river. Be- 



48 ALVIN P. HOVEY. 

fore dark, the cavalry, with six small guus, the Elev- 
enth Indiana, under Lieutenant-Colonel Dan. Macau- 
ley, Twenty-fourth Indiana, under Lieutenant-Colonel 
Barter, both commanded by Colonel W. T. Spicely, 
Twenty-fourth Indiana, had crossed the bridge. 

On the same night, November 29th, General Wash- 
burn dashed forward to within seven miles of Grenada. 
On the next morning, November 30th, to support his 
column and protect his rear. Colonel Spicely was 
ordered to advance the Eleventh and Twenty-fourth 
Indiana to Mitchell's Cross-roads, a point about 
twelve miles northeast of our camp, on the Tallahatchie. 
On the succeeding day, December 1st, the pickets of 
the Eleventh and Twenty- fourth, under command 
of Major Darnell, Eleventh Indiana, commenced a 
lively skirmish with the enemy across a small stream 
known on the maps as the Goe-na-pa-la-pha, which 
continued without much injury for several hours, and 
until our cavalry returned, when General Washburn 
caused his small guns to be brought to bear upon the 
enemy and they precipitately fled. A bridge was soon 
constructed over this stream, and the cavalry camped 
that night, with the infantry, on the field of the late 
skirmish. 

Brigadier-General Washburn fully and accurately 
describes his movements and several dashes in detail 
in his report, a copy of which is herewith transmitted. 

It gives me great pleasure to say that Brigadier- 
General Washburn's conduct during the expedition 
was dashing, bold, fearless and effective, and could not 
have been excelled. To the enemy our cavalry seemed 



MILITARY SERVICES. 49 

ubiquitous — at Charleston, near Grenada, at Panola, 
Oakland, all within so short a time that the enemy sup- 
posed several columns were advancing on the rear of 
General Pemberton's array, and gave rise to the 
wildest conjectures as to the magnitude of our forces 
and designs. 

Major-General Grant in the mean time had been 
pressing the enemy near Abbeville, and as soon as the 
rebels were apprised of our presence in their rear an 
order was promulgated in their camp ordering three 
days' rations and preparations for retreat. Intercepted 
letters, prisoners and citizens confirm the fact beyond 
doubt. 

Our demonstration and diversion was complete, and 
before your order expressing satisfaction with our la- 
bors and ordering our return was received the whole 
body of the rebel forces under Pemberton had broken 
camp on the Tallahatchie and retreated to the south 
and east of our camp. 

On the 30th I ordered Captain Owen, First Indiana 
Cavalry, to proceed down the Tallahatchie and capture 
or burn the steamer New Moon. This he fully ac- 
complished by burning her^ and returned the same 
evening. 

In our several skirmishes we had many horses 
killed, and one man killed and fourteen wounded. I 
have every reason to believe the enemy suffered far 
more severely. 

Besides burning bridges on both railroads, cutting 
telegraph wires and tearing up the track,. our troops 
destroyed one locomotive and about thirty freight carSj 
and took forty prisoners. 



50 ALVIN P. HOVEY. 

As for bravery, energy, endurance, forbearance and 
cheerfalness, the conduct of officers and men was 
admirable. Exposed for ten days to storms and cold, 
they seemed as fresh and ready for service on their re- 
turn as they were on the day of their embarkation. 
Their health, under the circumstances, is remarkable, 
and I can not refrain from saying that it may, to a 
great extent, be attributed to the watchfulness and 
care of Surgeons Jessup and Casslebury, and the med- 
ical corps under their charge. 

To the members of my staff, Captain John E. Phil- 
lips, Assistant Adjutant-General, Captain Owen, and 
Lieutenant McQuiddy, I am under many obligations 
for. their untiring energy, bravery and endurance. 
They fully performed their respective duties. 

I can not refrain from stating to you the effects of 
the great evil growing out of our commercial inter- 
course with the rebels. Unprincipled sharpers and 
Jews are supplying the enemy with all they want. 
Our forces penetrated ninety miles into the very heart 
of Mississippi, and everywhere we were met with 
boots, shoes, clothing and goods purchased by open 
and avowed rebels at Delta and Friar's Point. The 
" Yankees ^^ are deluging the country with contraband 
goods, and letters intercepted from the army show 
from whence they are receiving their supplies War 
and commerce with the same people ! What a Uto- 
pian dream ! Every secret of our camps is carried by 
these same men, who formerly sold their God for thirty 
pieces of silver, to our worst enemies for a few pounds 
of cotton. 



MILITARY SERVICES. 51 

I have made three expeditions into the enemy's 
country beyond Helena, and everywhere I find the 
blighting effects of their cupidity. No expedition 
has ever been dreamed of at Helena that the blood- 
hounds of commerce have not scented out and carried 
to our enemies days in advance. 

I have the honor to be, with great respect, your 
most obedient servant, Alvin P. Hovey, 

B.rig.-Gen. Commanding Expedition. 
To Brig. -Gen. Frederick Steele, Commanding Eastern 
District Arkansas. 

An attempt has been made, for political purposes, to 
pervert the spirit and meaning of this report by giv- 
ing an offensive construction to that part relating to 
the operations of " unprincipled sharpers and Jews." 
It is plain on the face of the report that General 
Hovey's indignation was directed indiscriminately 
against trading Jews, trading Yankees, and all who 
were engaged in contraband traffic. These commercial 
camp-followers and cotton-thieves of different nation- 
alities traded in contraband information as well as 
contraband goods, and supplied the rebels with mili- 
tary secrets as well as with the necessaries of life. It 
was too much to expect a loyal officer to regard such 
transactions with composure. Certainly, General Hovey 
was not the man to do it, and when his indignation 
found Yent he was not particularly choice in his lan- 
guage of denunciation. No fair-minded man, how- 



52 AIA'IN P. HOVEY. 

ever, can fail to see that his mind was dwolling prin- 
cipally on the disloyal traffic that was being carried 
on, and that his indignation embraced all who were 
engaged in it. The actors in a great war, and under 
such circumstances as General Hovey was placed in, 
can hardly be expected to weigh their words as care^ 
fully as the writer of a diplomatic note or a magazine 
article. But, fairly construed, there is nothing in the 
reference to trading Jews or Yankees to give offense 
to honest and loyal men of either class. 

The activity of the "Copperheads^^ in Indiana dur- 
ing the winter of 1863 caused great indignation among 
the soldiers at the front. It was regarded, and rightly, 
as an attack in the rear, and the soldiers omitted no 
opportunity to express their opinion in regard to the 
treasonable machinations of the rebel sympathizers and 
cowards at home. While General Hovey was in com- 
mand at Helena the following address was issued. It 
was written by him, and signed by four other officers 
who had entered the service as Democrats : 

To the Democracy of Indiana: 

Having a deep interest in the future glory and wel- 
fare of our country, and believing that we occupy a 
position in which we can see the effects of the political 
struggles at home upon the hopes and fears of the 
rebels, we deem it to be our duty to speak to you 
openly and plainly fn regard to the same. 



MirJTARY SERVICES. ^^ 

The rebels of the South are leaning on the Northern 
Democracy for support, and it is unquestionably true 
that unjustifiable opposition to the administration is 
" giving aid and comfort to the enemy/^ AVhile it is 
the duty of patriots to oppose th? usurpation of power, 
it is alike their duty to avoid captious criticisms, that 
might create the very evils which they attempt to 
avoid. 

The name of Democrat, associated with all that is 
bright and glorious in the history of the past, is being 
sullied and disgraced by demagogues, who are appeal- 
ing to the lowest prejudices and passions of our peo- 
ple. We have nothing to expect from the South, 
and nothing to hope, without their conquest. They 
are now using their money freely to subsidize the press 
and politicians of the North, and with what effect the 
tone of some of our journals and the speeches of some 
of their leaders too plainly and painfully testify. 

We see, with deep solicitude and regret, that there 
is an undercurrent in Indiana tending toward a coali- 
tion of the Northwest with the South against the East- 
ern States. Be not deceived. Pause, for the love 
you bear to your country, and reflect. This move- 
ment is only a rebel scheme in disguise, that would 
involve you, alike with themselves, in the crime of 
rebellion, and bring to your own hearthstones the des- 
olation of a French revolution. Separation on either 
side, with peace in the future, is impossible, and we 
are compelled by self-interest, by every principle of 
honor, and every impulse of manhood, to bring this 
unholy contest to a successful termination. 



54 



ALVIN P. HOVEY. 



What! admit that we are whipped? That twenty- 
three millions of Northern men are unequal to nine 
millions of the South? Shame on the State that 
would entertain so disgraceful a proposivion ! Shame 
upon the Democrat who would submit to it, and raise 
his cowardly voice and claim that he was an Indi- 
anian ! He, and such dastards, with their offspring, 
are fit ''mud-sills" upon which should be built the 
lordly structure of their Southern aristocracy! And 
with whom would this unholy alliance be formed? 
With men who have forgotten their fathers, the,ir 
oaths, their country and their God ; with guerrillas, 
cotton-burners; with those who force every male in- 
habitant of the South capable of bearing arms into the 
field, though starving wives and babes are left behind I 
Men who persecute or hang, or drive from their lines, 
every man, woman and child who will not fall down 
and worship the Southern god. And yet free-born 
men of our State will sympathize with such tyrants, 
and dare even to dream of coalition ! Indiana's proud 
and loyal legions number at least seventy thousand 
effective men in the field", and, as with one great heart, 
we know they would repudiate all unholy combina- 
tions tending to the dismemberment of our govern- 
ment. 

In this dark hour of our country's trial, there is but 
• one road to success and peace, and that is to he as 
firmly united for our government as the rebels are 
against it. Small differences of opinion amount to 
nothing in this grand struggle for a nation's existence. 
Do not place even one straw in the way, and remem- 



MILITARY SERVICES. 55 

ber that every word you speak to encourage the South 
nerves the arm and strikes the blow which is aimed at 
the hearths blood of our brothers and kindred. 

Alvin p. Hovey, Brigadier-General. 

William T. Spicely, Colonel 24th Ind. 

"William E. McLean, Colonel 43d Ind. 

George F. McGinnis, Colonel 11th Ind. 

James H. Slack, Colonel 47th Ind. 
HeleTm, Arkaiisas, February 2^ 1863. 

While at Helena General Hovey had command of 
about thirty thousand men, including twelve or fifteen 
Indiana regiments. He commanded brigades or di- 
visions in the battles of Shiloh, Corinth, Port Gibson, 
Champion\s Hill, Big Black, siege of Vicksburg, siege- 
of Jackson, Rocky-faced Ridge, Dalton, Resaca and 
Altoona Church, besides being engaged in many skir- 
mishes and small affairs, and was with Sherman in his 
march to the sea, down to Kenesaw. A mere mention 
of most of these must suffice. 

During the siege of Vicksburg General Hovey com- 
nanded the Twelfth Division of the Thirteenth Army 
C^rps (McClernand's). The division consisted of two 
brigades of infantry, the first commanded by General 
George F. McGinnis, embracing the Eleventh, Twen- 
ty-fourth, Thirty-fourth and Forty-sixth Indiana and 
the Twenty-ninth Wisconsin regiments. The second 
brigade, commanded by General James A, Slack, con- 
sisted of the Forty-seventh Indiana, Twenty-fourth 



66 ALVlN P. HOVfiY. 

and Twenty-eighth Iowa, and Fifty-sixth Ohio regi- 
ments. The division had, also, four batteries of artil- 
lery and a small battalion of cavalry. General Hovey 
commanded this division during the preliminary opera- 
tions against and during the siege of Vicksburg, and 
it did its full share of the fighting. He was fortunate 
in his brigade commanders, and in the rank and file 
composing his command. His officers and men con- 
tributed in large measure to his success and that of 
the common cause. 

The battle of Champion\s Hill, May 16, 1863, was 
the most important of those immediately preceding 
the siege of Vicksburg. As the turning point of the 
final movement against Vicksburg, and virtually de- 
cisive of the final result, it was really one of the pv- 
otal battles of the war. It was so regarded by General 
Grant, who remarked afterward that Vicksburg was 
virtually won at Champion's Hill. So it was, and the 
great battle decisive of the control of the Mississippi 
river, and the fate of the Mississippi valley, was \^on 
by the valor of Western troops, mostly Indiana tramps, 
under an Indiana general. General Hovey's division 
bore a leading part in this engagement, and it would 
hardly be exaggerating to say that it and he \yere the 
heroes of the battle. 

With the surrender of Vicksburg and the battle of 
Gettysburg, General Sherman says the civil war was 



MiLltARY SERVICES. 57 

practically ended in favor of the North. All that fol- 
lowed was simply carrying the war into ^' the last 
ditch.^^ The importance of the possession of Yicks- 
burg to the Union cause was early recognized. Imme- 
diately after the capture of New Orleans, Admiral 
Farragut proceeded up the river with a little fleet of 
mortar-boats. But the necessity of keeping Vicks- 
burg had been quite as well understood by the South. 
It was called the " Gibraltar of the Southern Confed- 
eracy.'' In April, 1862, New Orleans had been capt- 
ured by the North. Memphis, Island 10, and the 
chief points on the Mississippi above Vicksburg, were 
already in the hands of the United States. With 
Vicksburg, the Confederacy would lose its last hold 
on the great river. The Southern authorities, there- 
fore, held to their Gibraltar with a death grip. The 
struggle for its possession was a most determined one, 
and brought out very conspicuously General Grant's 
great and indomitable qualities. It was, in fact, a 
turning-point in his career as well as in the war. 
Several attempts to capture it had been made without 
success, and Grant now determined upon a new plan 
of operations, the success or failure of which might in- 
volve his own, and possibly that of the rebellion. A 
military critic says : 

" Grant was now at the turning-point, not only of 
this campaign, but of his whole career. He had not 



58 ALVIN P. HOVEY. 

then th(? world-renowned fame with which we have so 
long been accustomed to associate his name; at that 
time he occupied a position in popular estimation sim- 
ilar to that held by Hooker, iiosecrans and Banks, 
who then commanded the other principal armies, and, 
like thera, he was on trial. He liad gained a great 
victory at Fort Donelson, and he had f )iight a most 
desperate battle, which was not a defeat, yet hardly a 
victory, at Shiloh, in the previous year. But for 
twelve months he had apparently done nothing, the 
defense of the Mempliisand Charleston Railroad, and 
its attendant battles of luka and Corinth, having made 
but little impression on tlie public mind. For the 
last throe motiths his army had been lost to sight in 
the overflowed swamps of the Mississippi, whence 
came rumors of abortive expeditions, camp-fevers and 
dissatisfaction. Many people were beginning to believe 
that Grant belonged to the same dreary class of 
failures as McClellan, Burnside, Fremont and Buell, 
and they importuned the President to relieve him. It 
was a gloomy period. The war had been in progress 
f)r two full years, and as yet the North had gained no 
I'cally decisive victory except at Fort Donelson. dur- 
ing the preceding summer the Army of the Potomac 
had been driven back to Maryland, and the Army of 
the Cumberland to the Ohio river. ]^oth armies had 
partially regained their ground, and then everything 
had come to a stand-still for months, in trying to 
break which the Army of the Potomac had only in- 
curred renewed defeat and slaughter at Fredericks- 
burg and Cliaucellorsville. Such was the general 



MILlTAllY SERVICES. hU 

situation, and in Grant's particular operations (lie 
prospect was as unpromising as everywhere else. lie 
was on a wrong trail — that was evident to every one ; 
and it would not have been difficult to prove that tiie 
responsibility for it did not rest upon (irant. Hut 
Grant's mind did not run in (lie directtion of arguing 
responsibility upon other peo})le's shoulders. He was 
accustomed to lake things as tiiey were, and to devote 
his whole eiiergies to making the best of" them, lie 
had now for two months tried every (ronceivable plan 
for crossing the low lands of the Yazoo delta, and 
reaching the high ground beyond the enemy's right 
flank. They had all failed. What should now be 
done? Three plans only were possible: First. To 
assault the enemy's batteries. S(>(H)nd. To go ha(;k (o 
Memphis and recommeucu^ a campaign along the Mis- 
sissippi Central Jlailroad. Thii-d. To find a way 
through the swam})s opposite Vicksburg, (m-oss the 
Mississippi near (irand ( uilf, and Operate against 1 he 
rear of Vicksburg, trusting to vic^tory for supplies." 

General Grant decided on the last j)lan, and, after a 
series ofdifTi(;ult movemeuts involving immense labor 
and the overcoming of almost insuperable obstacles, 
he finally succeeded, with the co-oj)eration of the gun- 
boats and transports, in placing his army across tlu; 
Mississippi river south of Vicksburg. He had in- 
tended to cross the river at Grand (iulf, but that })la(H' 
proved to be too strongly fortified to be rednefd by a 
river attack from th(^ front, and he determined to trv 



^)0 AI.VIN r. IIOVI'lV. 

a lii(I(^ lower down, Mild, if |)()ssil)l(', (liinis tlic halicricH. 
Tlu! crossing wjis finally cfU'etcd at I5iMimsl)iir<j^, a 
small landing ])la(?o a Hliortdistaiuui bolow (irand (iiilf, 
from \vln(!li point a road led to Port Gibson. Thi) 
crossini^ was made Ajxil ->(), ISd;}, Tlie nexl few 
weeks weiHi lo wihu'ss a ^reat deal of JKU'd ii^^lilinnj. 
Within ei<;ld('en days from the lime tlu; first regiment 
of ()}rant^s army landed at Bruinsbnr^ (lie relxds had 
boon defeated iti several battles, and tiie defensive 
forces at Vieksbnrt!^ had been driven into and shnt up 
within their fori ilictat ions, never to come out ex<'ej)t as 
prisoners. A milihiry writei- says: " In thai lime h(> 
had marched about 'iOO miles, and, by keeping his 
army tojijether, had defeated the enemy's scattered do- 
tacshments in four engat^cunonts, all fouj»ht within six 
days; he had inllic^tcd a loss upon them of .S,()0() in 
killed, woundeil and missing;; h;ul ('a|)lui'e(l eiii:lity- 
ei<;ht pie(r(>s of I heir artillery, Jiiid, finally, had driven 
them into the ujin'ow defenses of V^ieksbui*^, eausinji; 
their outworks at Haines' Blull, Warrenton and (Jrand 
(Jnlf to be abandoned, and cstablishinp^ ids own base- on 
th(i ^'a/oo riv(M' in easy and safe reach (»!' his i!;un- 
boats and transports. lie had not only |)revented the 
junction of tlu* enemy's deta(^hm(Mits, but had still 
furliier scaltcrcHl their (bre(»s, so that I hey had fully 
14,000 less men available in Vieksburii; at flu; elosi* of 
the period llian at liu; begiiinint;-. Duriiii;' these 



MIlJIAin SIOIiVKJKS. 01 

(Mji;li(('('ii (lays (Jniut'H tncii li:i<l lind l)iil live days' 
rations, having lived, Cor the rest, on the country. 
Tlieir own losses had been a little less than 3,500. We 
nuist <^o back to I Ik; riarnpaigns of Napoleon to lind 
equally brilliant residts aceoniplishcd in th(! same 
S[)a(;(; of titrw! with su(!h sinnll loss." in all these; 
operations General Ilovey's division l)ore a lar^t; and 
important part, 

T\\(i first battle that oecurnul after Grant's forces 
(jrossed tlx; Mississippi was that of !*ort (jiibson, May 
1, the day after crossing. Of this battle a correspond- 
ent says: ''Here General Hovc^y again won his spurs. 
He was the first of thci relief upon the field, and found 
an o])portunity to achieve a signal victory by (jui(;k 
action and a very dangcii'ous (hicisive move. The; 
enemy was directly in IVont and in full vi(;w. Pi'ep- 
arations were immediat(dy made for a great charge 
upon Slack's brigade, whi(;h was at the edge of a 
ravine. General Hovey formed his lines, called his 
staff about him, and told his oflicers that the; battciry 
must be taken. Colont;! (Jameron, Colonel Raynor 
and other officers begged the honor of leading the at- 
tack. There was that confidence in the commander 
which made a brave and eager soldier of every odicer 
and privat(! on the field. 'I'Im; ordca- was giv<'n, Miid a 
grand dash toward the (incsmy was made. It was an 



62 ALVIX p. HOVEY. 

assault which can only be likened to the charge of the 
Light Brigade at Balaklava. The battery was taken, 
with seven hundred prisoners, on the field, General 
Hovey himself dashing over it and beyond. 

" Over three hundred of the Federals were killed. 
In returning from the ravine where the captui-e of the 
battery was made, General Hovey^s horse became 
frightened by the cheers of the men and made a run 
in the direction of General Grant, who witnessed the 
charge. In the mad flight of the horse across the 
field Hovey was thrown over the pommel of the sad- 
dle, and when the spot at which General Grant was 
stationed was reached the Hoosier commander pre- 
sented a sad plight. Riding far upon the horse's neck, 
his head uncovered, hair streaniinoj over his face, and 
his spurs dangling over the horse's back, he was un- 
recognizable at firstto the commander-in-chief The 
successful maneuver of General Hovey resulted in 
his being placed in command of the forces on that part 
of the field, and the successive charges made on that 
day elicited expressions of admiration from Grant 
himself. 

"A desperate elFort on that day was made by the 

sharp-shooters of the enemy, who occupied positions 

in the trees throughout the ravine, to take the life of 

General Hovey. These sharp-shooters were so well 

located and distributed that their work became veiy 



MILITARY SERVICES. 63 

destructive, and General Hovey's command finally 
dragged the ravine, as with a seine, and dislodged 
every one of them.'^ 

Following is General Hovey^s official report of the 
battle of Port Gibson : 

Headquarters 12th Division, 13th A. C., 1 
In the Field, May 8, 1863. j 

Colonel — On the 28th we embarked on steamers 
for the purpose of aiding in the attack on Grand Gulf, 
and on the 29th witnessed the brilliant assault by the 
gun-boats upon that place. As it w-as supposed at that 
time that a battle would take place at Grand Gulf, the 
horses of all officers, except those commanding divis- 
ions, and all kinds of transportation were left behind. 
Subsequent events made this very onerous upon the 
officers and upon the command. On the 30th we again 
disembarked at Bruinsburg Landing, Mississippi, be- 
low Grand Gulf, and at 3 o^clock p. m. took up oar 
line of march for Port Gibson, the order of march 
by divisions being, Carr's (Fourteenth), Osterhaus' 
(Ninth), Hovey's (Twelfth), Smith's (Tenth). 

The organization of the Twelfth Division at that 
time was : 

FIRSr BRIGADE GENERAL GEORGE F. m'gINMS, 

COMMANDING. 

Twenty- fourth Indiana, commanded by Colonel W. 
T. Spicely. 

Forty-sixth Indiana, commanded by Colonel T. H. 
Bringhurst, 



b4 AiAIN p. HOVEYc 

Eleventh Indiana, commanded by Colonel Dan 
Macauley. 

Twenty-ninth Wisconsin, commanded by Colonel 
Charles R. Gill. 

Thirty-fourth Indiana, commanded by Colonel R. 
A. Cameron. 

Sixteenth Ohio Battery, commanded by Captain I. 
A. Mitchell. 

Second Ohio Battery, commanded by First Lieuten- 
ant Aug. Beach. 

SECOND BRIGADE — COLONEL JAMES R. SLACK, COM- 
MANDING. 

Twenty-fourth Iowa, commanded by Colonel E. C. 
By ram. 

Twenty-eighth Iowa, commanded by Colonel John 
Connell. 

Fifty-sixth Ohio, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel 
W. H. Kaynor. 

Forty-Seventh Indiana, commanded by Lieutenant- 
Colonel J. A. McLaughlin. 

First Missouri Battery, commanded by Captain Scho- 
field. 

Peoria Light Artillery, commanded by Second Lieu- 
tenant Fenton. 

We continued our march through the night. Near 
"Z o'clock in the morning of the 1st of May cannon- 
ading was heard in our front, which continued for 
several moments. The column pressed forward, and 
at daylight reached Center creek, about three miles 
west of Port Gibson. At this point, at 5 : 30 o'clock 
A. M., my division was ordered to take position a few 



MILITARY SERVICES. 



65 



hundred yards in advance, upon the right of the road, 
on the crest of two hills, nearly opposite the Schaffer 
farm-house, at that time the headquarters of Major- 
General McClernand. The First Brigade occupied 
the position in front, nearest the enemy's line, and at 
right angles to the road, and the Second Brigade on a 
similar ridge in the rear of the First Brigade. 

The lines of each brigade were formed under fire 
from the enemy, who were being engaged by Briga- 
dier-General Benton to my left, and near the center of 
the line of battle. 

At this juncture I received orders from Major-Gen- 
eral McClernand to hold my division as a reserve until 
the arrival of the Tenth Division, commanded by 
Brigadier-General Smith, at which time my whole 
command was to be in readiness to take part in the 
action. On receiving this command I ordered my di- 
vision to lie down under the cover of the brows of the 
hills. In less than thirty minutes afterward General 
Smith arrived, and the fact was announced to the 
Major-General commanding. In the mean time, the 
brigade under General Benton was engaged in a se- 
vere conflict with the enemy upon our left, and gal- 
lantly resisting almost overwhelming numbers. About 
7 o'clock A. M. aides from Major-General McClernand 
came rapidly forward with orders directing me, with- 
out the least delay, to support General Benton's line. 
I immediately ordered Brigadier-General McGinnis to 
march the infantry of the First Brigade in line of bat- 
tle, across a deep and rugged ravine, to his support. 
All concur in describing this ravine as being about 



66 



ALVIN P. HOVEY. 



forty rods wide, and filled with vines, cane, deep 
gulches, and exceedingly difficult of passage. The 
enemy, no doubt, n-garded it as impassable. 

As soon as the First Brigade had commenced mov- 
ing, I ordered the Second Brigade, Colonel Slack com- 
manding, to march by the right flank around the head 
of the ravine in support of our forces engaged in the 
center. They reached their proper position in line of 
the division beyond the ravine about the same time 
the left of the First Brigade arrived, the right of the 
First Brigade being still engaged in working through 
the tangled vines and underbrush of the ravine. As 
I rode down the road toward the front and middle of 
my line, I met Captain Klau-s, First Indiana Battery, 
who had been gallantly fighting the rebel batteries. 
The field around him and one disabled gun testified to 
the nature of the conflict. He at once pointed out the 
position of the rebel battery, the guns of which, with 
a line of rebel heads in their rear, were plainly visible. 
I immediately rode down under cover of the brow of 
the ravine to the head of the Second Brigade, where 
Colonels Slack and Cameron were standing. Lieuten- 
ant-Colonel Raynor, of the Fifty-sixth Ohio, who had 
been supporting Captain Klauss' battery, here joined 
us. Here I attempted to communicate with General 
McGinnis, who was in the rear of his brigade, but the 
ground was impassable for my aides on horseback, and 
my voice could not be heard on account of the noise 
around him. I pointed out the battery first to Colonel 
Cameron, and told him it must be taken. Colonel 
Slack claimed the honor for his command, but I set- 



MILITARY SERVICES. 



67 



tied the matter by directing Colonel Cameron, of the 
Thirty-fourth In(iiana Regiment, to make the charge, 
and I/ientenant-Colonel Raynor, Fifty-sixth Ohio, to 
support it I also directed Colonel Slack to hold his 
hrigade ready to move forward at any instant. The 
distance of the rebel battery from the point of my 
attack could not have exceeded 150 yards. Ui)on 
receiving the order to charge, Colonel Cameron com- 
manded his battalion to leap the fence, which, witl) 
the Fifty-sixth Ohio, rushed, with loud shouts and 
tixed bayonets, toward the battery. T\\c\r advance 
was met with grai)e from the rebel battery and a 
shower of ball from the rebel line. The fire became 
intense and concentrated, and both regiments, to 
shield themselves, fell to the ground, whilst the fire 
continued for two or three minutes longer on both 
sides. At this juncture I gave the command, "For- 
ward,'' as loud as I could, and had the satisfaction of 
seeing the Thirty-fourth and Fifty-sixth s])ring to 
their feet* and, with two comjianies of the Eleventh 
Indiana, which I knew by their dress, and several other 
companies from my division, which I could not then 
distinguish, rush forward to the charge. Again the 
bright bayonets of the Twelfth Division were glitter- 
ing in the sun! Again a wild shout of triumph re- 
veH)erated through the hills ! The enemy were beaten 
back, between two and three hundred were taken pris- 
oners, and one stand of colors, two twelve-pound how- 
itzers, three cannons and three six mule-teams loaded 
with ammunition was the reward of this chivalric ac- 
tion. Tlie particular m<;n or companies who seized 



68 ALVIN 1». HOVEY. 

the colors, took the guns and turned them upon the 
enemy, wounded and took the prisoners, I can not 
tell, as in the hot contest of the moment but moment- 
ary daguerrean sketches could have fixed the fact. 
One thing is certain, the honor of the charge belongs 
to the Twelfth Division. I gave the command, my 
men obeyed and made the charge, manned the guns 
and discharged them at the enemy, took the prisoners 
and have the battle-flag of the battery, now in posses- 
sion of the gallant Colonel Raynor. That other gal- 
lant men were there after the inception of the charge, 
and sustained it, may be so, as officers and men of this 
corps are not only ready, but more than willing, to do 
their duty ; but that any organized body of troops from 
any other division participated in the capture is, I 
think, contrary to the position of the corps at the time 
and ^' the truth of history/^ 

Immediately after the charge was made, several reg- 
iments formed on the same ridge in line of battle, and 
the wildest enthusiasm prevailed as Major-General 
Grant and Major-General McClernand rode down our 
lines. General Grant and General McClernand com- 
manded me to press the whole line forward imme- 
diately and drive the emeny from the field before they 
could be reinforced. I gave the command to the 
brigades of my own division and to the gallant Col- 
onel William Landram, commanding the Second Bri- 
gade, Tenth Division, who, with my division, imme- 
diately marched across a ravine in the direction the 
enemy had taken. On reaching the plateau or ridge 
beyond, our line again received the enemy^s fire, from 



MILITARY SERVICES. 69 

a long, woody ravine, which lay at the base of the 
ridge. Skirmishers at different points opened fire upon 
the enemy for several minutes. Passing through a 
slight opening in this ravine, Colonel Slack formed 
the Forty-seventh Indiana and Fifty-sixth Ohio in 
a line of battle, and opened fire upon the enemy. 
Being severely pressed, he was subsequently reinforced 
by the Twenty-fourth Regiment Indiana Volunteers, 
Colonel W. T. Spicely commanding, and Twenty- 
ninth Wisconsin, Colonel Gill, and after a hot and 
spirited contest of an hour and a half, with about equal 
numbers, they forced the enemy to retire before them. 
Here these gallant regiments met with severe loss. 
During this contest and when passing down our lines 
to the right I met General McGinnis, who informed 
me that the enemy were moving on our right, with 
the probable intention of flanking us. He had pre- 
viously sent to the right three companies of skir- 
mishers from the Eleventh and Twenty-fourth Indiana, 
Colonel Cameron, with the Thirty-fourth. As we 
passed down the line my aide. Lieutenant I. P. Pope, 
discovered a rebel battery moving in the same direction, 
supported by a large force of infantry marching hidden 
by the woody ravine. I plainly saw their heavy col- 
umn advancing. In a few minutes the rebel battery 
opened on our lines, firing shell and shot from 
a twenty-four-pounder and twelve-pound howitzers. 
The shell and shot picked up on the field demonstrated 
their caliber. As my infantry were already in close 
supporting distance, I moved my four batteries on the 



70 ALVIN P. HOVEY. 

brow of the ridge and concentrated their fire into the 
ravine in the direction of the rebel lines and battery. 
The position of my guns and infantry at this time 
is shown by a sketch accompanying this report. I am 
indebted to First Lieutenant William K. McConnal, 
aide on Major-General McClernand's staff, for the 
sketch and other similar favors. The fire from my 
batteries was well directed, and continued for over 
one hour, and drove the rebel battery and infantry 
from that part of the field. The honor of repulsing 
the enemy at this point unquestionably belongs to the 
battery of the Twelfth Division, who have my sincere 
thanks for their efficient service during the day. 
When the fire from the enemy ceased on the right, 
General McClernand sent orders to have two regiments 
move in line of battle, from our right, through the 
ravine in which the enemy had been concealed. 
Colonel Cameron, being on the extreme right at this 
time, was ordered, in conjunction with one regiment 
from General Smith's First Brigade, to perform this 
duty. The length of the ravine was nearly one mile, 
with its width ranging from a few yards to over one 
hundred. About equi-dislant from its ends is a narrow 
neck through which the hills and ground beyond are 
plainly visible. To this neck the regiments last named 
marched in line of battle through the ravine, captur- 
ing several prisoners. Skirmishers from the Second 
Brigade continued firing some time in the upper end 
of the ravine, above the neck, when the enemy aban- 
doned tliis pait of the field and fled. The firing con- 
tinued at irregular intervals along the line for some 



MILITARY SERVICES. 71 

time afterward, but the indications plainly proved that 
they were covering a rapid retreat. Thus ended the 
battle of Port Gibson, and we slept upon the fieUIs 
two miles in advance of the raoruing's contest. It 
will be impossible for me to particularize each move- 
ment of the respective regiments. Their special ac- 
tions are clearly in the reports of their commanders. 
I have no fault to find with any officer or private in 
my command. If any faltered I knew it not. Kac h 
brigade was handled in a masterly manner, and too 
much praise can not be bestowed on the veteran Gen- 
eral McGinnis and the gallant Colonel Black, who 
commanded them. Faithfully, nobly and unfalteringly 
they, with their officers and men, performed their full 
duty of thorough soldiers. Their country must thank 
and reward them. 

Throughout the day, in the hottest of the hail and 
on almost every part of the field where man or horse 
could go. Captain John E. Phillips, Assistant Adjutant- 
General, and my aides. First Lieutenant John T. Mc- 
Quiddy and Joseph P. Pope, were carrying orders and 
making observations. Their assistance was invaluable 
to me, and their services deserve the highest praise. 

George W. Bonnell, private, Company C, First In- 
diana Cavalry, who acted as my mounted orderly, 
proved himself worthy of promotion for his fearless 
bearing and services throughout the day. 

To Surgeon Kobert B. Jessup, Medical Director, and 
the medical corps who co-operated with him, the com- 
mand is under great obligations for their services un- 
der the very trying difficulties whicii surrounded them. 



72 ALVIN P. HOVEY. 

The sick and wounded have been thoronghly cared 
for, although no ambulance or medical wagon accom- 
panied my division. The surgeons carried all their 
medical stores on foot, and not only performed their 
whole duty by attending to the noble men who were 
wounded in my command, but, like the good Samaritan 
of other days, gave balm and bound up the wounds 
of suiFering rebels by the wayside. 

The prisoners taken by my command on the field of 
battle can not fall short of 400. 

My casualties, as shown by accompanying reports, 
are, forty-two killed, 263 wounded, and three missing; 
total, 308. 

I have the honor to be your obedient servant, 

Alvin p. Hovey, 
Brig.-Gen. ComM'g 12th Div., 13th A. C. 

TAeut-Col W. B. Scales, A. A. Gen. 13th A. C. 

Hardly a day passed now without heavy fighting, 
and Hovey's division was in the thick of it. This is 
not, however, a military history, and only some salient 
points of the campaign can be touched upon. 

The battle of Champion's Hill was one of those in 
which the rebels attempted to contest General Grant's 
approach toward Vicksburg. It occurred on the 16th 
of May, about two weeks after the crossing of the 
river, the scene of the battle being about twenty-five 
miles east and, of course, in the rear of Vicksburg. 
When Grant crossed the river it was with the inten- 
tion, as understood at Washington, to unite his forces 



MILITARY SERVICES. 73 

with those of General Banks, and reduce Port Hud- 
son. He knew his own design, and did not let Gen- 
eral Halleck know it until he was too far gone on the 
road to be recalled- It was necessarv, then, to his 
vindication that he succeed, and it was necessary that 
every officer under him should be the right man in the 
right place that he might succeed. 

General Hovey was one of those officers, and the re- 
sult proved that in him, at least, he had the right man, 
and that he had been put in the right place. Grant 
was between the two wings of the Confederate forces. 
Pemberton had been ordered by Johnston to attack 
the Union troops at Clinton, but had disobeyed, but 
on receiving a more pressing order to join the troops 
under his superior he undertook to do so. It was 
while trying to make the junction that he occupied 
the crest and slopes of Champion^s Hill, and here it 
was that General Hovey struck him. 

The following is General Hovey^s official report of 
the operations of his command from the 1st to the 20th 
of May, including the battle of Champion's Hill: 

He kdquaeters 12rH Division, 13th A. C, 1 
Before Vicksbueg, May 25th, 1863. J 
Colonel — In compliance with an order from Ma- 
jor-Geueral McClernand, 1 herewith send vou a report 
of the action of my division from the battle of Port 
Gibson, on the 1st instant, to the date of my arrival at 
the works before Vicksburg, on the 20th instant. 



74 ALVIN P. HOVEY. 

On the 16tli my division moved in the direction of 
Midway, or Champion's Hill, on the extreme right of 
the corps, General Osterhaus', General Carres and 
General Smith's divisions moving in the same direc- 
tion on other roads still farther to the south and left. 
My route lay on the Clinton and A^icksburg road, 
nearest to, and on the south of, the railroad. During 
the morning I had thrown forward a part of ray escort 
under First Lieutenant James L. Carey, First Indiana 
Cavalry, to make reconnaissance in front of the ad- 
vance guard and skirmishers of General McGinnis' 
brigade. On arriving near Champion's Hill, about 
10 o'clock A. M., he discov^ered the enemy posted on 
the crest of the hill with a battery of four guns in the 
woods near the road, and on the highest point for 
many miles around. At the time, I was marching be- 
tween the First and Second Brigades, so as to be ready 
for an attack on either flank. I immediately rode for- 
ward, and ordered General McGinnis to form his bri- 
gade in two lines, three regiments being in advance and 
two in the reserve. 

Before my arrival, General McGinnis had formed 
his three advanced regiments in line of battle and had 
thrown out skirmishers in the front and flank of his 
command. The Second Brigade, Colonel James R. 
Slack commanding, was immediately formed on the 
left of the First Brigade, two regiments in advance 
and two in reserve. Skirmishers were at once sent 
forward covering my entire front, and had advanced 
to within sight of the enemy's battery. They were 
directed not to bring on the action until we were en- 



MILITARY SERVICES. 76 

tirely ready. At this point I attempted to communi- 
cate with Brigadier-General Osterhaus^ but my mes- 
sengers, not knowing the country nor his exact locality, 
were unable to find his division. In the mean time 
Major-General Grant arrived, and with him Major- 
General McPherson with his command. Before pro- 
ceeding further it is necessary that the topography of 
the field should be described. Midway, or Champi- 
on's Hill, is equi-distant from Jackson and Vicks- 
burg, and is near the Midway station, on the Vicks- 
burg and Jackson Railroad. It is a high promontory, 
some sixty or seventy feet above the common level of 
the country, and covered with woods, the Yicksburg 
and Clinton road leading over the crest. To the right 
and northeast of the hill are undulating fields, and on 
the left a woody, tangled ravine, through which troops 
might pass with great difficulty. (See map accom- 
panying this report.) 

About one-half of a mile from the points of the 
hill General McPherson formed his line of battle, in 
the open field, facing toward the side of the hill, at 
the distance from the hill of about four hundred yards, 
his front and the main front of my division being 
nearly at right angles. As my division ascended the hill 
its line conformed to the shape and became crescent- 
like, with the concave toward the hill. As soon as 
General Mc^^herson's line was ready to take part in 
the contest, about 10:30 A. M., I ordered General 
McGinnis and Colonel Slack to press their skirmishers 
forward up the hill, and follow them firmly with their 
respective brigades. In a few minutes the fire opened 



76 ALVIN P. HOVEY. 

briskly along the whole line from my extreme left to 
the right of the forces engaged under Major-General 
McPherson ; and at 11 o'clock the battle opened hotly 
all along the line. The contest here continued for an 
hour by my forces. For over six hundred yards up 
the hill my division gallantly drove the enemy before 
them, capturing eleven guns and over three hundred 
prisoners, under fire. The Eleventh Indiana, Colonel 
Macauley, and Twenty-ninth Wisconsin, Colonel Gill, 
captured the four guns on the brow of the liill at the 
point of the bayonet. Colonel Bringhure, with the 
Forty-sixth Indiana, gallantly drove the enemy from 
two guns on the right of the road ; and Colonel Byam, 
with his brave and eager Twenty-fourth Iowa, charged 
a battery of five guns on the left of the road, driving 
the enemy away, killing gunners and horses and capt- 
uring several prisoners. 

At this time General McGinnis requested me to per- 
mit him to take one section of the Sixteenth Ohio Bat- 
tery, commanded by Captain Mitchell, up the hill. 
The section was taken up, and after fighting gallantly, 
and firing sixteen rounds, was withdrawn, the danger 
of capture being imminent. Captain Mitchell, who 
fell during this attempt, will prove a great loss to -his 
friends and country. First Lieutenant Murdock acted 
very gallantly during this affair, and deserves much 
praise for his coolness and bravery. In the meantime, 
the enemy, being rallied under cover of the woods, 
poured down the road in great numbers upon the po- 
sition occupied by my forces. Seeing, from the char- 
acter of the ground, that my division was likely to be* 



Military seiiviok8. 77 

SL'vet'iily pressed, ns tlic (Mioiuy would not dare advaueo 
on tlie open ground befort! (JeniM'al MePherson, who 
had haiulh'd (lieiii roughly on i\\v ri^ht, 1 ordered our 
eaplnred «;nnH to ho sent down the hill. A short time 
al'terward 1 received a rcipn^st tosc^id support to(Jen- 
eral MclJinnis, on the ri^ht. At this time my wholes 
division, imdudin^ reserves, had, for more than one 
hour, l)(!en ac^tively enji;aged, and my only hope of 
suppoil was fnnn other eommands. 

I>ii^a(liei'-(j}eneral (|ulmhy's division, commanded 
by ( *olonel Ch'ockei', was near at han<l,and had not yet 
been under lire. 1 sent to them for support, but, be- 
ing unknown to the olUcers in command, considtirabU^ 
delay ensued, and 1 was (u)mpelled to resort to Major- 
General (irant to pnxMirc^ tlu^ ordcM* for their aid. 
Colonel Jioomen, (Munmandin*; Thiitl l>rit»ad(^ of 
(^uimby's division, on re(U'ivin<;- the (!ommand from 
(ii(Mi(!ral (jjrant, eanu^ gallantly up tlu^ hill; (\donel 
Holmes, with two small i'e<j;;iments — 'l\M»th Missouri 
and SevtMitcHJuth Iowa — soon followed, the entire 
fonu^ S(M»t amount in<jj t.o ab(HH IJ.OOO men. My divis- 
ion, in the mean time, had been (H>mp('lh'd to yichi 
l^round before ovcM'whelming nund>ers. Slowly and 
stubbornly ihvy fell ba<dc, conteating with dt^ath (>\'erv 
iiKili of th(j lield they had won. (-oloncd lioomen and 
(Joioncl llolm(!S gallantly and heroically lushcd with 
their (Mtmmands into tlie <M>nHiet, but the enenw had 
massed his forcu's and slowly pressed our whole liiu% 
with the reinforcements, bac^Uward U* a point near thti 
brow of the hill. TlKM'e a stubborn stand was made. 
'IMui irr<tj^ularity of our iim^ of l)at.th^ had pi-eviously 



78 AT.VIN P. HOVEY. 

prevented me from using artillery in enfilading the 
enemy's line; but as our forces were compelled to fall 
slowly back the line became marked and distinct, and 
about 2:30 o'clock p. m. I could easily perceive by 
the sound of fire-arms through the woods the positions 
of the respective armies. 

I at once ordered the First Missouri Battery, com- 
manded by Captain Schofield, and the Sixteenth Ohio 
Battery, under First Lieutenant Murdock, to take 
position in an open field beyond a slight mound on 
my right, in advance of and with parallel ranges of 
their guns with my lines. About the same time 
Captain Dillon's Wisconsin Battery was put in posi- 
tion, two sections of the Sixteenth Ohio Battery on 
the left, the Wisconsin Battery in the center and 
Captain Schofield's Battery on the right. Through 
the rebel ranks these batteries hurled an incessant 
shower of shot and shell, entirely enfilading the rebel 
columns. The fire was terrific for several minutes, 
and the cheers from our men on the brow of the hill 
told of the success. The enemy gave back, and our 
forces under General McGinnis, Colonel Slack, Colonel 
Boomen and Colonel Holmes drove them again oyer 
the ground which had been hotly contested for the 
third time during the day — five more of the eleven 
guns not taken down the hill falling a second time 
into our possession. I can not think of that bloody 
hill without sadness and pride. Sadness for the great 
loss of my true and gallant men, pride for the heroic 
bravery they displayed. No prouder division ever 
met as vastly superior foe and fought with more un- 



MILITARY SERVICES. 79 

flinchiug firmness and stubborn valor. It was, after 
the conflict, literally the hill of death. Men, horses, 
cannon and the debris of an army lay scattered in wild 
confusion. Hundreds of the gallant Twelfth Division 
were cold in death or writhing in pain, and, with large 
numbers of Quimby's gallant boys, lay dead, dying or 
wounded, intermixed with our fallen foe. 

Thus ended the battle of Champion's Hill at about 
3 o'clock p. M., and our heroes slept upon the field 
with the dying and dead around them. I never saw 
fighting like this. The loss of my division on this 
field alone was nearly one-third of my forces engaged. 
Of the Twenty-ninth Wisconsin, Twenty-fourth and 
Twenty-eighth Iowa, in what words of praise shall I 
speak? Not more than six months in the service, 
their record will compare with the oldest and best- 
tried regiments in the field. All honor is due to their 
gallant officers and men, and Colonel Gill, Colonel 
Byram and Colonel Conriell have my thanks for the 
skill with which they handled their respective com- 
mands, and for the fortitude, endurance and bravery 
displayed by their gallant men. 

It is useless to speak in praise of the Eleventh, 
Twenty^fourth, Thirty-fourth, Forty-sixth and Forty- 
seventh Indiana, and Fifty-sixth Ohio. They have 
won laurels on many fields, and not only their country 
will praise, but posterity be proud to claim kindred 
with the privates in their ranks. They have a history 
that Colonel Macauley, Colonel Spicely, Colonel Cam- 
eron, Colonel Bringhurst, Lieutenant-Colonel Mc- 



80 ALVIN P. HOVEY. 

Laughlin and Colonel Raynor, and their children's 
children, will be proud to read. 

My brigades could not have been managed with 
more consummate skill than they were by Brigadier- 
General McGinnis and Colonel James R. Slack. Their 
services deserve the highest reward that a soldier can 
claim. 

My staff, as usual, did their whole duty. Captain 
John E. Phillips, Assistant Adjutant-General, and 
First Lieutenant J. T. McQuiddy, and First Lieuten- 
ant J. P. Pope, my aides, were untiring during the 
whole day, and, by their promptitude, coolness and 
energy, aided me in every trying emergency. I am 
also much indebted to First Lieutenant George Sheeks, 
A. A. Q. M., and to First Lieutenant W. H. Shurp, 
and Second Lieutenant T. C. Withers, of the Signal 
Corps, for valuable services throughout the day. 

It is no easy task to specify individual gallantry 
where the field is filled with deeds of fame, but I can 
not forbear giving the full meed to those who have 
suffered. The division lost, in killed and wounded, 
fifty-four officers — twenty-nine in the First Brigade 
and twenty-five in the Second. 

Colonel W. T. Spicely, of the Twenty-fourth Regi- 
ment Indiana Volunteers, conspicuous for his daring 
gallantry throughout the day, was wounded, but re- 
mained upon the field until the victory was ours. 

Colonel Dan. Macauley, Eleventh Indiana, was 
wounded through both thighs, near the close of the 
fight, while leading his noble regiment through the 
hottest part of the field. Lieutenant-Colonel Barter, 



MILITARY SEllVlCEg. 81 

Twenty-fourth Indiana, while bearing the colors of 
his regiment, was severely wounded. 

Lieutenant-Colonel Swaine, Thirty-fourth Indiana, 
was severely wounded while cheering his men and 
encouraging them in the performance of their duty. 

Major Bradford Hancock, Twenty-ninth Wisconsin, 
was severely wounded while nobly discharging his 
duty. 

The true and trusted Majors L. H. Goodwin, of the 
Forty-seventh Indiana, and Ed. Wright, Twenty- 
fourth Iowa, were severely wounded in the thickest 
of the fight. 

Among the dead of the Second Brigade are the 
honored names of Captain Silas D. Johnson, Twenty- 
fourth Iowa; Captain William Carbee, Twenty-fourth 
Iowa; First Lieutenant Lawrence, Twenty-fourth 
Iowa; First Lieutenant James F. Perry, Forty- 
seventh Indiana ; Second Lieutenant George W. Man- 
nering, Fifity-sixth Ohio; Second Lieutenant A. S. 
Christie, Fifty-sixth Ohio; Second Lieutenant J. J. 
Leagan and First Lieutenant Ben.F. Kirby, Twenty- 
eighth Iowa. 

Of the First Brigade, Captain Felix G. Wellman 
fell on the outer edge of the field while being pressed 
with overwhelming numbers. He rose from the ranks, 
was gallant and good, and beloved by all who knew 
him. Second Lieutenant Jesse Kane, of the same 
regiment, fell mortally wounded at the same time, and 
died in a few hours afterward. A better man sleeps 
not upon that bloody field. 

First Lieutenant Joseph Ferris, Forty-sixth Indi- 



82 ALVIN W II()Vi:V. 

Mii.'i, (lied like ;i liMic soldier, with Ills face lo lljc foe. 

A (toiiiplclc lis( of llic kiII('(I and wounded aecom- 
j)anies ill is reporl. 

'I'lie elleelivc! forc'e of my division al (lie eoiniMeiice- 
iiKMil, of iho aciioii was as follows: b'irsl Uii^ade, 
2,;ni; Second Hrii^ade, l,H()i); niakiiii»;a lolal of 
4,180. or (his number our (casualties were: '211 
killed, 872 wounded, 1 l!l missini;; lolal, 1,202. When 
it is considered lliat (his loss, bein^" more thai 28.7 
per (!en<.., look j)laee in less llian four hours, it, is be- 
lieved thai (ew parallels can be Ibiind in the history 
oC th(! presenl wai'. The i^'i'ealesl loss per vvui. took 
place in the 'rwenty-Courlh I ndiana, beinii^ over 40 })er 
<'(Mjt., 201 bein^' iheii' (casualties, out of less ihan r>00 
ena;:ii»;ed in action. My division captured in the fkdd 
over »iO() j)risoners under lire :ind 100 alter the conllict 
ceased, making a lolal of 700. He.si(l(»s this, (Jeiienvl 
Mc(^innis paroled sick and wounded |)risoners and 
nui's(\s amounlinu; lo r)(III, and buried 221 rebel dead. 
Colonel Shuck also paroled 18!) wounded rebels and 
nurs(\s, makiiiL;' a i;iand lolal as follows: 

Prisonei's laken by division . . 700 

Wounded prisoners paroleil by (Jeneral Mc(Jinnis. ihi') 

Nurs(cs, ncbels, |)arole(l by (Jeneral M(;(Jinnis . . Ill 

Rebels buried by (uMUM'al IVIc(Jinnis 221 

Paroled by C\)lonel Slack 1811 

M:d<in_i; :i ii;rand lolal 1,()79 

bil(*V(Mi i;'uns wer(» caplu red befu'e we received sup- 
port from (|uimby's division, and twoof iheni l)rou«;ht 
off of the field. 'I'he second caplure of \\\o remainino^ 
live was ihe joinl labor of my division and ihe rein 



MiiarAitv HiiiiviTKH. 83 

forccimenlHSont to me IVoim (general ( |iiiiiil)y',s dlviHioii. 
ColoiHil Ma<;aiil(!y lias (Jic halilc-llat; (»!" " l^'owlcir's 
Hiiiivvy.'' 

By llu; aid of I )r. I^()l)(!^( IJ. d('SHU|), lVl('<li<raI I )ir(;(!l()i' 
of my division, and IIh; uiiliiiiij;- lahor of (.-aplain 
(j}(M)i'^(! W. »la<ik,s()M, vvilJi his ramoiis pioiK'crs, «;oin- 
CorlaJ)!*! l)ow<',rs were made, and i\\o. wmnidcd \v<!ll 
|)rovid(!d with csvcry ii(;(5(!HHai'y and luxury thai, (jouhl 
|j(! lound within their i'(!a(th. TIk! medical (5oi'j)h of 
my diviHion have aj^ain diHtin^'uishcd IhemselvcH, and 
deserve |)artieuhir meidion. Dr. '\\ VV. ( '. William- 
Hon, 'rvv(;nly-fourth Indiana, waH severely wounded 
whil(! fearhiHsly attc^ndin^ to hin dutiiiH on liu! (iidd 
Dr. .1. W. II. V<'sl, Twenty-cMj^hdi Iowa, rendered 
most (illieient H(!rvi(r<! in i'allyin;j;' the men in his (!om- 
mulid at a eriti(tal nioment. ("iiaplain Sinnnons, TwiMi- 
ty-ei^hth Iowa, and (Jhaplaiu K,oi)l), l*\)rty~sixth In- 
diana, weie found wiicre ^ood iiwn should Ix;, amouf;' 
lh(! wounded and dyin^', rendering all the eonsolatlon 
and aid in their j)ower. 

(i4i the 17th my S(!(!ond IJri^ade manihed to lOd wards' 
Btation, th(! h'irsl, und(;r (ieiieral lVI(;(jJinnis, remaining- 
to (iare for tiie dead, wounded and j)r'ison(!rH. On tin; 
l!)th th(i l^'irst Jirigadc^ arrived at lOdwards' Station, and 
wilh (Ih! division miir<;he<l to lUaeU riv(!r bridge On 
th(! '^01 h th(! I^'irst Hrij.';ad(r marched to the Viekshiir}^' 
fortifM;alions, th<' Second llii}j;a(le reiuaiuin;^ al lilack 
i*iv(M' to j^uard th(! bridj^e. I hiiv(; (he honor to be 
youi' olx'dient S(!ivant, AhViN I*. Iloviov, 

lirijj^-.-Cuui'l (!omM'}^' ll^th Div. 
J Arid.- (Jul. \V. />'. ^(udc.n, AshH A(lj.'(i('iil on D/ajor- 
(Unl Mr.dli'rnaiKrH M<tlJ\ 



84 



ALVIN P. HOVEY. 



The following is General Grant^s account of the bat- 
tle as given in his ^^ Memoirs " : 

" Champion's Hill, where Pemberton had chosen his 
position to receive us, whether taken by accident or 
design, was well selected. It is one of the highest 
points in that section, and commanded all the groupd 
in range. On the east side of the ridge, which is 
quite precipitous, is a ravine running first north, 
then westerly, terminating at Baker's creek. It was 
grown up thickly with large trees and undergrowth, 
making it difficult to penetrate with troops, even when 
not defended. The ridge occupied by the enemy ter- 
minated abruptly where the ravine turns westerly. 
The left of the enemy occupied the north end of this 
ridge. The Bolton and Edwards' Station wagon road 
turns almost due south at this point, and ascends the 
ridge, which it follows foi about a mile; then, turn- 
ing west, descends by a gentle declivity to Baker's 
creek, nearly a mile away. On the west side the 
slope of the ridge is gradual, and is cultivated from 
pear the summit to the creek. There was, wheti we 
were there, a narrow belt of timber near the summit, 
west of the road. 

"From Raymond there is a direct road to Edwards' 
Station, some three miles west of Champion's Hill. 
There is one also to Bolton. From this latter road 
there is still another, leaving it about three and a half 
miles before reaching Bolton, and leads direct to the 
same station. It was along these two roads that three 
divisions of McClernand's corps, and Blair of Sher- 
man's, temporarily under McClernand, were moving. 



MILITARY SERVICES. 85 

Hovey, of McClernand's command, was with McPher- 
son, further north on the road from Bolton to direct 
to Edwards' Station. The middle road comes into 
the northern road at the point where the latter turns 
to the west and descends to Baker's creek ; the south- 
ern road is still several miles south, and does not in- 
tersect the others until it reaches Edwards' Station. 
Pemberton's lines covered all these roads, and faced 
east. Hovey's line, when it first drove in the enemy^s 
pickets, was formed parallel to that of the enemy, and 
confronted his left. 

By 11 o'clock the skirmishing had grown into a 
hard-contested battle! Hovey alone, before other 
troops could be got to assist him, had captured a bat- 
tery of the enemy. But he was not able to hold his 
position, and had to abandon the artillery. McPher- 
son brought up his troops as fast as possible, Logan 
in front, and posted them on the right of Hovey and 
across the flank of the enemy. Logan reinforced 
Hovey with one brigade from his division ; with his 
other two he moved further west, to make room for 
Crocker, who was coming up as rapidly as the roads 
would admit. Hovey was still being heavily pressed, 
and was calling on me for more reinforcements. I 
ordered Crocker, who was now coming up, to send 
one brigade from his division. McPherson ordered 
two batteries to be stationed where they nearly enfiladed 
the enemy's line, and they did good execution. 

From Logan's position now a direct forward move- 
ment carried him over open fields in view of the 
enemy, and in a line parallel with them. He did 



86 ALVIN P. HOVEY. 

make exactly this move, attacking, however, the 
enemy through the belt of woods covering ihe west 
slope of the hill for a short distance. Up to this time 
I had kept my position near Hovey, where we were 
the most heavily pressed ; but about noon I moved 
with a part of my staff, by our right, around, until I 
came up with Logan himself. I found him near the 
road leading down to Baker's creek. He was actually 
in command of the only road over which they could 
retreat. Hovey, reinforced by two brigades from Mc- 
Pherson's command, confronted the enemy's left; 
Crocker, with two brigades, covered their left flank; 
McClernand, two hours before, had been within two 
miles and a half of their center with two divisions, 
and the two divisions, Blair's and A. J. Smith's, were 
confronting the rebel right; Ransom, with a brigade 
of McArthur's division of the Seventh Corps, had 
crossed the river at Grand Gulf a few days before, and 
was coming up on their right flank. Neither Logan 
nor I knew that we had cut off' the retreat of the 
enemy. Just at this juncture a messenger came from 
Hovey asking for more reinforcements. There were 
none to spare. I then gave an order to move Mc- 
Pherson's command by the left flank around to Hovey. 
This uncovered the rebel line of retreat, which was 
soon taken advantage of by the enemy. 

During all this time Hovey, reinforced as he 
was by a brigade from Logan and another from 
Crocker, and by Crocker coming gallantly up with 
two other brigades on his right, had made several 
assaults, the last one about the time was opened to the 



militAey services. 87 

rcur. The enemy fled precipitately. This was be- 
tween three and four o'clock. I rode forward, or 
rather back, to where the middle road intersects the 
north road, and found the skirmishers of Carres 
division just coming in. Osterhaus was further south, 
and soon came up with skirmishers advanced in like 
manner. Hovey's division, and McPherson's two 
divisions with him, had marched and fought from 
early dawn, and were not in the best condition to fol- 
low the retreating foe. I sent orders to Osterhaus to 
pursue the enemy, and to Carr, whom I saw personally, 
I explained the situation, and directed him to pursue 
vigorously as far as the Big Black, and to cross it if 
he could, Osterhaus to follow him. The pursuit w-as 
continued until after dark. 

The battle of Champion's Hill lasted about two, 
hours' hard fighting, preceded by two or three hours 
of skirmishing, some of which almost rose to the dig- 
nity of a battle. Every man of Hovey's division and 
of McPherson's two divisions was engaged during the 
battle. No other part of my command was engaged 
at all, except that as described before. Osterhaus' 
and A. J. Smith's divisions had encountered the rebel 
advanced pickets as early as half-past seven. Their 
positions were admirable for advancing on the enemy's 
line, McClernand, with two divisions, was within a 
few miles of the battle-field long before noon, and in 
easy hearing. I sent him repeated orders by staff 
officers fully competent to explain to him the situa- 
tion. These traversed the woods separately and with- 
out escort, and directed him to push forward; but he 



88 ALVIN p. HOVEY. 

did not come. It is true, in front of McClernand there 
was a small force of the enemy, and posted in a good 
position behind a ravine obstructing his advance; bat 
if he had moved to the right by the road my staff 
officers had followed the enemy must either have 
fallen back or been cut off. Instead of this, he sent 
orders to Hovey, who belonged to his corps, to join 
on to his right flank. Hovey was bearing the brunt 
of the battle at that time. To obey the order he would 
have had to pull out from the front of the enemy and 
march back as far as McClernand had to advance to 
get into battle, and substantially over the same ground. 
Of course, I did not permit Hov^ey to obey the order 
of his intermediate superior. 

We had in this battle about 15,000 men absolutely 
engaged. This includes those that did not get up — all 
of McClernand\s command except Hovey. Our loss 
was 410 killed, 1,844 wounded and 187 missing. Hovey 
alone lost 1,200 killed, wounded and missing — more 
than one-third of his division. Had McClernand 
come up with any reasonable promptness, or had I 
known the ground as I did afterward, I can not see 
how Pemberton could have escaped with any organized 
force. As it was, he lost over 3,000 killed and 
wounded, and about 3,000 captured in battle and in 
pursuit. Loring's division, which was the right of 
Pemberton's line, was cut off from the retreating army, 
and never got back into Vicksburg. Pemberton him- 
self fell back that night to the Big Black river. His 
troops did not stop before midnight, and many of them 
left before the general retreat commenced, and no 



MILITARY SERVICES. 89 

doubt a good part of them returned to their homes. 
Logan alone captured 1,300 prisoners and eleven guns. 
Hovey captured 300 under fire, and about 700 in all, 
exclusive of 500 sick and wounded whom he paroled, 
thus making 1,200. 

McPherson joined in the advance as soon as his 
men could fill their cartridge-boxes, leaving one brigade 
to guard our wounded. The pursuit was continued as 
long as it was light enough to see the road. The night 
of the 16th of May found McPherson's command 
bivouacked from two to six miles west of the battle- 
field, along the line of the road to Yicksburg. Carr 
and Osterhaus were at Edwards' Station, and Blair was 
about three miles southeast. Hovey remained on the 
field where his troops had fought so bravely and bled 
so freely. 

Hovey had in the fight, first and last, about 15,000 
men, but with those he drove the enemy from a very 
strong position, inflicting a loss of more than 3,000 
men and a large portion of his artillery. Why it was 
that McClernand did not come to his assistance has 
never been explained; but the facts remain that he, 
with four divisions of his corps, were in hearing dis- 
tance of the battle and proffered no help, while another 
division was being cut to pieces, but winning a glorious 
victory. 

- No one account of a battle can present anything like 
a complete description of all its features and phases. 



90 ALVlN P. HOVEY. 

In fact, it is probable that no number of narratives 
could do that. Having given General Graut\s story 
of Champion's Hill in his own condensed and compre- 
hensive style, we give another account of the battle by 
General George F. McGinnis, who commanded, the 
First Brigade in Hovey's division, and was himself a 
model soldier and officer. General McGinnis says: 

The campaign of General Grant against Vicksburg 
was the boldest in conception, the most brilliant in 
strategy and the most vigorous in prosecution of the 
war of the rebellion, and was second only to his cam- 
paign against Richmond, which resulted in the capture 
of Lee's Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox. 

The battle of Champion's Hill was the battle of 
the campaign, and the battle of Vicksburg. That field 
was the key to the approaches to the rebel strongholds 
on the Mississippi river. When Grant cut loose from 
his base of supplies after the battle of Port Gibson he 
ventured all upon the issue of one great battle, and 
the two armies met and decided that issue at Cham- 
pion's Hill. 

The battle of Port Gibson, fought on the 1st day 
of May, 1863, resulted in the defeat of the rebels under 
General Bowen, after a very gallant and brilliant de- 
fense, lasting all day. 

It is not necessary to recount the numerous skir- 
misher and more important actions, all very important 
in themselves, resulting in every instance in a rebel 
defeat, which took place between the 2d and 12th of 
May, during which time the movements between Grant 



MILITARY SERVICES. 91 

on the one side and Pemberton on the other, each 
striving for advantage, position and concentration, oc- 
curred, and which led up to the decisive battle of the 
16th. On the afternoon of the 12th the advance of 
McClernand^s Thirteenth Army Corps, the Twelfth 
Division, met and skirmished with a force of rebels at 
Fourteen-mile creek-; about five miles south of Ed- 
wards^ Station, on the railroad leading from Vicks- 
burg to Jackson, where the enemy were known to be 
in force. Colonel Spicely, of the Twenty- fourth In- 
diana, led our forces across the creek and drove the 
rebels back to their main line, after which we biv- 
ouacked for the night, fully expecting a general en- 
gagement on the next day. ^~ 

Early on the morning of the 13th our columns 
were in motion, with a heavy line of skirmishers, 
which, soon after crossing the creek, commenced an 
exchange of compliments with the skirmishers on the 
other side. All, but the very few especially posted, 
fully expected that they would soon be engaged in a 
desperate and deadly conflict, which wouid decide the 
fate of Grant's army and of Vicksburg. It was not 
then to be, however. Grant was not ready to risk all 
that he had gained on the result of a battle at that time. 
Our skirmishers crossed the Clinton road and advanced 
several hundred yards beyond, sharply engaging the 
rebel skirmishers, who fell back stubbornly and slowly. 
When the head of the column reached the Clinton 
road it suddenly changed direction to the right and 
moved off toward the town of Clinton, and awav from 
Edwards' Station, just as if nothing had or was ex- 



1)2 ALvrN i». irovi^Y. 

J)(K5iO(l l,o Ikijum'II. AClcr lln* vvliolc (M»liiiiiM Ii.'kI ^'ot 
woll on rli(! ii(!w (iin:(;l-i<>ii our Hivii'iriislicrH wi'vc witli- 
<lra\v»i, N'.'ivin^ I.Ik^ n-hcln in (jnicl posHCHHion, woikNt- 
in^ vvliJil, llu' mov<'iM<!iil, incrinl,, .'ind wlini lln; m(!xI, 
rnov*; would he. 'I'lic ciiciny w<'r(; ho (MunpNfl/cly iU'.- 
(;<'iv(!(l and onl,wil(('(l by 1,Im( (I}iid< inov<un<Mil, iJiul,, jih 
we Wi'H' :\U,*'V\v'.i\'(\ infornuMl by prisoncrH (!}ipiiir<'<l ul, 
( 'lianipion's 1 1 ill, (licy .'iclually icMiMMK'd in line oC 
l».'illl<' (ill ui'\\, inorniiiK, looking lor :in ininxdiair 
al(:u;l<. 

On onf Hid<; it was Knl)s«Mjn<'nl ly d<'V('lo|)cd thai 
dniin^; I,Im; ni^lil, of (lie 121 li I lien', had Ixmmi a confcr- 
<'nr<' ()(' iJic l<\'d(iial ('<)niinandanlH. Il, waHw<dl known 
Ihal. .lohiiHton w.'is a( .lacknon wilh a considciMldr 
IbriM;, (!Hliinal<'<| al, I2,()()(), and, fearing' Ihal. in; nii^hl. 
j^iv*; \iH Ironhh' hy an unl.inM'ly inldrfdicncc, il was <!(;- 
(tich'd l,hul, h<^ nniHl, Ix; diHposccI of hcfon; a genera! (Mi- 
^aj^criHiiit HJioidd ho I'iHkctJ wilh I'nnlxrlon'H I'orctc of 
25,000 l,o .'»(), 000 ni(Mi. 'I'liis d<:<;i,sion wan proinplly 
and Inlly (!X<*<;nl('d hy Shcrnnin. 1 1 waH a ^ood joh, 
and w<'ll done, Mild .lohnHloii "(M'asrd (Voin I I'oiihlin^/' 
(iranl,'H Hplciniid Hlral<(!j^y was now d('V<'lopin}jj. TIks 
nn(Mln<5al,(;d Hoidicr'H (in niililjiry alVairH) of ( iran't'.s 
army had heard :ind i-«':id a ^nxtd <h':il :il)oiil, Hlralc^y, 
(5Hp('<;ially on I he I'otoniac;. Tliry h:i<l nol nndci-slood 
pcrfcclly jnHl whal il, nicani, hnl nowlhcy i<n('W (Voni 
pra<;l,i('al «'xp(!ri<'n(M', whi<'h wan inii<;h hcMcr Ihan lh(; 
l,hcoi-y. \{. waH <M'rlainly a ina^niirMMiil pij-cc of work, 
and nol,hin[( hcMcr was done dnrinji,- lh<; war. Diii'in;^ 
(,h('H<' inov<'rn('nlH Ihc 'riiirlccnlh Army ('orpM waH 
(!oinman<l<'d hy ( icin'ial 1V1<!( /icrnand, I In- Kiflccnlh hy 



MILF'IAItY MMItVKJICH. 



93 



dftniu] iSlicrfiiuii, IIk' S(;v<M(f(iiil,li hy (iciwial IV1<5- 
I*lu;iH(»ii. (iO^qiii uimI (U'iU'Mi'V roiriirimi<l<Ml <liviHi<)MH 
ill IJm! H(!V(5mI,<!(5IiI,Ii ) llovcy, ( !nrr, ( )Hh',rliM,iiH niid Hmilli 
f:oMiin;iii<i(;(l (liviHioriH in llic 'riiirtcoiilli ; .nid I'l.iir 
coriniiMnd'-'l :i diviHion in IJm; P'iri.ocwiUi. I irKtihon 
(li(!H«! n}ini«!H luid diviHioiiH <!H|)<'(5ijilly (or tlni r<'jiH«>n 
(li/il, (Jury vvor*' ;ill in( inin,l,(dy (tonncrlitd (or hIioiiM 
Imv; Im'CIij wil.li I, lie l>;i( llr of ^ -luuii |»ioii';i liili. («<'ii 
(;ral (irnnl'H «larin^' mov^tincnl. r«Hiill,<M| in lint rapMir** 
of .larkaoii and llni <;oni|»I<(.<i roiil, oC .IoIiiihIoii'm urniy 
on (lie Mill of May. On l,ln' Hani«t day IIov«7*h 
TwrllUi hivinion of ill*' Tliirl'Mtnlli ( ''or|»H wan in (In- 
iM!ijijlil)orliood or^'linlon; ( !a,rr and ()H(<'j'lianM w<ir«t 
iicjir iruymond, wliil*- Sniilli jniardc*! a Irain IxtlvvM-n 
Anl»niii;ind K.ayfrioiid. lilair followJid Hinilli. On 
(li< I 'Mil llovfry'n divinion nmrolKMl IVoni (!linlon l,o 
liollon'w Hlafion. 'I'li<t oilier <liviMion of IIm: Tliir- 
l,(!<',nMi ^ 'oipfi, and I'.laii'/i, ol* III*; !''( ll'Miilli, moved on 
din<T(;nl. roadf. in (Jnr direction of, and (;r>n ve.rjMii^'; on, 
lOlwardh' Hl,a,l,iori. hiirinj.'; l.li(Mi('l,<:rnooii oC (li<* l')(.li 
l,li(! tufiuy ;',liow<d liini kII in f,on;'.id<'ral»l<' lorec iwar 
l>(dion, and, f>(;lic,vin^' an al.hudc wan inirnd'MJ, (»iir 
liiK'W w'T<* prepared l,o rerteive l.fiefn. A /tl.ron^'; hI'. ir- 
mir'.li line, wiUi a lew e.avalry, w/im nenl iovwnvtl. 'I'lie 
rehelw rel/ired an we, advanee<l, iill,erly reJ'uHJn^ lo (i^lil-, 
wliieh wan enl/nrtly Hal-iK(u<!(.ory l,o (iranl, nn lie, wan 
nol yel ready (or a, ^rt-tifnil (wi^a^^etnenl. On (lie 
fnoiniiif' of l,li<- null r.r ,Vliiy llie TweKili hivinioii of 
llie, 'riiirle»iil,|i ( 'orpf, moved oiil. (Vom l»(dlon on f.lie 
din!<r(, rf»ad lo I'ldwardn' Ml.al.ion. Tlie di vif.ionc, oC 
OhUtrliaii •, and (,'arr were moving'; on (lie inid<ll«' road, 



94 ALVIN P. HOVEY. 

while A. J. Smith, followed by Blair, was marching 
on the direct road from Eaymond to Edwards' Station. 
The five divisions numbered about 22,900 men, and 
all were marching on nearly parallel roads, within 
four miles of each other, and, considering the position 
occupied by the rebel force, within easy supporting 
distance. At about 9 : 30 o'clock Sergeant David 
Wiley, in command of a squad of Company C, of the 
First Indiana Cavalry, discovered the enemy in posi- 
tion on Champion's Hill. This information was re- 
ceived at the head of the Twelfth Division, and im- 
mediately transmitted to General Hovey, who was 
near the center of the column. The First Brigade was 
immediately thrown into line of battle on both sides 
of the road, and as soon as possible General Hovey 
came up with the Second Brigade, Colonel Slack com- 
manding, and formed on the left of the First. Four 
six-gun batteries took up their positions, and the 
Twelfth Division was ready for work. Not knowing 
Grant's wishes in the matter, nor desiring to bring on 
an engagement without orders, and knowing that 
Grant was on the road from Clinton, where he en- 
camped the night before, and would soon be up. Gen- 
eral Hovey determined to wait, and act on the de- 
fensive in case the enemy made an attack. General 
Grant arrived on the field at about half-past ten o'clock, 
and feeling assured, from the information he received, 
that the great battle of the campaign was to be fought 
then and there, determined to make no mistake. De- 
siring to know the exact position of all the troops in 
his comoi?jnd in the vicinity, he directed Hovey to 



MILITARY SERVICES. 95 

wait until McClernand, with his three divisions of the 
Thirteenth Corps, could be communicated with. 

At 11:30 a message was received from McClernand 
informing Grant of his position. Grant replied with 
an order to attack the enemy in force if opportunity 
offered. McClernand was but two and one-half miles 
from Grant^s headquarters when this order left, but, 
from some cause not yet explained, it did not reach 
McClernand until 2 p. m., when he gave the order 
(using his own words) to '^ attack the enemy vigorously 
and press to victory.^^ At the same time, Hovey's and 
Logan's divisions had been engaged in a desperate and 
bloody conflict for nearly two hours in plain hearing 
of Osterhaus, Carr, Smith and Blair's divisions, and 
in plain view of hundreds, if not thousands, of officers 
and men of those commands, who were looking on and 
discussing the chances of Hovey and Logan being 
whipped. What excuse could there have been for not 
fighting under such circumstance-;, even without orders ? 
What excuse for not attacking '^ vigorously and press- 
ing to victory?" Soon after eleven o'clock Logan's 
division arrived, and promptly deployed on the right 
of Hovey, and then Grant, having every reason to be- 
lieve that McClernand was ready, and occupying the 
same relative position to the enemy as did Hovey and 
Logan, and that the attack would be simultaneous by 
at least five divisions, ordered an advance along the 
whole lino. From the time the enemy was discovered 
in position to the order of Grant to attack was about 
two hours. The position occupied by the enemy was 
on and to the rear of the brow of a hill, which was 



(Hi 



AI.VIN I*. IIOVKV. 



H<^v<Mily i\wt', oi' <iii< lMiii<h< «i i< ' l< mUovc IIm' jdiiin IxImw. 
IMm tiiov'irK'iili^ wtff liiddrii {'nun our vi'^w liy IIh* 
Iwnvy wooiIm wIiI';I» f;ov<'»'<'<l iIk- hill nidi', wliilo nil our 
iMov<*Miciil,!i <:ouM !>«• ohiwrvd l»y IIkiii. VVIiil*' our 
(JiMpoiiirioiiM \M'ir liriii^ iiMulc IIm' ciiciiiy liJid moI hccn 
i«ll<'. 'I'lwy IiimI l>«'«'n dniwiuj.' IroopM I'rom llnir ri^lil, 
lo IIkii Nil lliiiii. , «vi<l(iil ly liojHii}' lo «;iii;ili I /o^?;iiii 
iiimI llov<'y, ^ii lo our vctiv iiimI joiu .loliunl-ou. TlnH 
fiiov<iriou( wiiH in ii<v!or<lnrM'c vvilli .IoIiumIoii'm or'<l<:rH, 

)iM(| WJIM (lie UIOV'MHIll, rcilllM I ImM Ii.hI l<< III ( • 1 1« |( M VO T- 

\tiy l,o «ix«*<;ul'' Irom lln' lii -,1, vIkii IIm- |»I;iii vvum <!<• 
niJif^o'd liy (jiriuil/M H\H'.r,fnn til, .liifdu'.oii, iiiid IIm* nipid 
<',oiir,«iil,rul,iou (d' a (!OhHid< inid*' porlioii (d" IiIm Jiriiiy, 
wliicli wan uow iu Ihm (VoiiI ;iiid I lii< :il.<iiiii).' liiiii al. 
( !|iaru|Hou'M 1 1 ill. 

'IIm drnll ol lf<M»|»:'. lioin !'< /nlxrloii'/i ri^dil I'll. 
I.Ih' «iicmy v<'ry w<id( ;il lin- jioiiil. vvlwr*' IVI<;( 'IcnDHid 
itliould li)iv<' IxMui will) III". llir<'<- olli<r ilivJHiouM, and 
lllair'M of I.Ih' Kiriccni li i\n\y,'.. ()|»|M>Mi((! our Irri, 
iJirn* wiiM IhiI IiMIc iiiok- iliiiu a vi^;orouH HliirniiHli 

lilK', wllii'li ll<-ld liicill \n\rU lol llOIIIM, Vvllil<' IIh- <'0|I' 

llirl, ra^cd nloii^' (In* linr of I/o|.'mu and Ilov<'y'Hdi- 
viiuouM, and iu jdiiiu vi<'W of OHl.«'rliauH, wlio wan \Hlxl 
on (lie hit. <d III*' 'rwdClli l)ivi»uoii. AImhiI lw«dv<? 
o'clorK (irmi'al (iinul j^av or<l('rH lo loriM' \\\r \\y\\\. 
Ilovcy'n Mild liOf.'1'iii'M di viHioiiM iidviiucrd itiiiiiilhiiir 
oiinly. 'I'lm Twiirili Imd iiiov(«l r<»ivvui<l iiImhiI. f»(M) 
yardH, iin'<'|,iii|j;' willi lidln iwiMiMliuiro, vvIh'Ii, Miiddruly, 
Two l)all<ri«'H of four mid oik; of iJircc |.';utiM ojxttwMl vvilli 
vollry a('l<*r volh-y oC frrajio. Tim diviMioii w<'iil' lo 
llir fM'ouiid !iM oii«' liiiiii, niid 1 <-iiiiiiii('d llinc iinlil ;i 



M\mv ft f)rj<!f halt, ari<*U»<!r uAvsiftrj- 'n'xa orr|r'n<(J. TIm-, 
(livji'jon ffiov<"i forward i»M',;cr;<')l<;fif, ord^r, vvjfli hayo- 
n<5f,« \\Y.t'A. Wli<;f» wil.liiri r^.c-vculy-i'tvc yurd'K of ilxi 

vJHJon w^rnf- down. Ah v,ooii an Ui<; mIiow^:;* lifi/J |;a««<r<l 
ov<!r, fJ«; (;nl<jr wa*'j/,iv<;fi »/^; ('}ittr^t',, and l,li'? rlJviMJr^ri 
niMli^^d forward. Ho M»idd<;n, arirl appanjnlJy tnicx- 
\t4H',Uu\f wan tli(? rnov<;rri<'n(, Uiaf/, afbjr a nliorf, nfiarp, 
hand-(o-l)afi<l fottiWcl, Um; f;aMy;rJ<;H w<5r<; in our |>o«- 
Ht;H>^\htif and Ui'*, wl»ol<; Krjpporiifij^ n;f)<!) for/;*^ waH In 
rapid r';l.r<!al,. A portiorj of fh'; r;a|>f,iir'd l;alf<fri(;« 
w<',r<! fianl';d oil' l;y hand, and t,li<; r<'njaifjd<',r w<;r<? 
K|nl<<:d. I'At'Vctt ^HU'A W';r<; r',ajW,nr<',d f>y lfov<;y'« rji- 
VlMir/n in U»ii", r,\t(it%t% Konr of f,f»<;m w<'r<; UtUctt fiy 
Un? IChiv.nl-fi h»d(afnt, ^/olo/i<;l Mfi/5ard<^y, and Uj<; 
Tw^jnty-ninf l» Wl-'-con^Jn, r'oIon<j| (iil) ; Uin;r; (>y ihc 
Korty-^IxUi Indiana, (/o)on<J iirinj(hnrs<<, ; and foiir 
f>y >,fi<! Twenty -Ton rUi I<;wa, (/o)r/n<d Ijynani, H<;on 
af'f^'r lUt', r('\f(;\ rt',\nt\<*i, lUt'/tr r<!infor<M^»rn;nU from tU*', 
n^^ii, wliicli should fiav*? b('<?n Ixrld f;y (In; diviwionw 
oi' ( hUirUtiHHf (krr an<l Hrnitfi, f^^^j^an f,o ;>,|/f><;ar fnravily 
\ti-\'(tr(', Mov^jy, and w<^r<M;onc^rnl.raM;<l aj^jdn^t U<<' lin<;;< 
oT Wttvcy and ho^'jin. TIm? enemy had f><;<;n <Jriv<!n 
«ix r>r w;v<n hiind/'d yard;*, 1'; l,h<', r<';jr of lh<'ir /Jf^^f, 
position, and h<'r<; h«;(uint'.i\ oni', of l,h<; /nonl, hlfHi'tnnU', 
a/id hh^ody con /I )';!,'•, of f.h'; war. I'or r>v<5r <;n<^ hour 
t'iUiU HuUi i4uik \in iMVU i%\ driving/ and \n;'\u^ driv^^n. 
H<?<rinj^ fhaf w^. svere largely onf/nnfnh<;r<'rl, anri I'lUely 
{4f \n', ov«;rwh<dm<j(j hy Un; Uitye r<;h<;j rt'.\ui'itrt;(um'At[^, 



98 ALVIN P. HOVEY. 

arriving, the writer, who was iu command of the First 
lirigade, sent messengers to General Hovey askins: for 
asiisfance, and at the same time ordering the captured 
artillery to be hanled back by hand. 

Having driven the enemy before us, oaptuioil their 
artillery, and fonght over the same ground three dif- 
ferent times, having been engaged in a continuous 
conflict for three hours, our ammunition nearly ex- 
hausted, many of the men beino- entirely out, having 
iired eiglity rounds, and relying on what could be 
orot from the boxes of the dead and wounded, threat- 
ened with being actually everwhelmed by superior 
numbers, the division began to fall back, at first slowly, 
and in good order, contesting every foot of the ground, 
finallv in great confusion, and saved from a general 
rout only by the personal exertions of Colonel Slack, 
commanding the Second Brigade, and Colonels Bynam, 
Bringhurst, Spicely, McLaughlin, Gill, Raynor, and 
others not now remembered, but equally brave, who 
threw themselves into the breach, encouraging and 
urging the brave men to maintain their ground, with 
assurance of immediate assistance. At length, having 
reached the point whence the enemy had first been 
driven at the opening of the conflict, and just as it ap- 
peared as though the rebels would regain all they had 
lost, we were greeted by the shouts of the long-looked- 
for reinforcements, and Boomer's brigade, closely fol- 
lowed by Holmes' brigade, both of Crocker's division, 
came up and took position between us and the enemy. 
The rebel advance was at once checked, but for a few 
minutes only. They came down upon the new line in 



MILITARY SERVICES. 99 

such numbers that, in a very short time, the whole 
line, reinforcements and all, was forced to give way. 
Immediately, however, our artillery on the right, in 
position by the foresight of Grant, opened an enfilading 
fire upon the advancing masses of the enemy, which 
effectually checked their progress, turned the surging 
tide back upon itself, and they soon gave way and fled 
in great confusion, leaving our brave boys in full and 
undisturbed possession of the field. 

At the time Hovey's division was being forced back, 
after the enemy's recovery from their first repulse, 
General Grant ordered Logan to push his right bri- 
gade against the left flank and rear of the enemy. This 
third brigade, commanded by General Stevenson, ad- 
vanced rapidly, ran over and captured a rebel six-gun 
battery and swung across the Vicksbu rg road, while 
the other two brigades, under Generals John E. Smith 
and M. D. Leggett, passed over the ridge into the val- 
ley beyond and struck the enemy directly on their left 
flank. In the movement of the third brigade to reach 
Pemberton's rear, Stevenson had become somewhat 
detached from the other two brigades of Logan's di- 
vision. General Logan was not aware at the moment 
that he had possession of the Vicksburg road, in the 
rear of the enemy, so he almost immediately withdrew 
Stevenson sufficiently to have his brigade connect with 
the others. Immediately upon the enemy finding 
that Logan had cut their line of escape they ceased 
pressing Hovey and faced against Logan's riglit, and 
escaped as soon as Stevenson was withdrawn, and wore 
vigorously followed to the Big Black by Logan's di- 



100 Ar.viN I'. MoVJoV. 

Vif.KHj. \ ju^i\n'n t\iwtt^ii)U «1hI ii'»I, rm < I, Ijir l»< ;i.v y Inc 
U»af< op|>oH<!<l llov<yV 'llviMion, nor llio «nriin <Io^^<m1 
n!«i«f,«,rir,<; ; a« llxi IikI, of cnMiialf i<!M hIiowm, il. IumI ^on- 
Mriilly il,« ow/i wny. Tlif wrilrr iw im/iMr, IVom pcr- 
woiMil (*liR<'rvMf ion, (,o K'V" n- Oill jiimI *I« hiiNJ n<'<',oiiiil, 
iti Ml'', |KM I, (fil;< II l»y ( /I<ii«f III l/»»piiii ;iii(| lii-i «livn'.ioii 
ill Uii« urljoii, l;iil, IIk- roinilry Iuiowm (lie (/Jilliml, vvorU 
i\n It' (loMd l»y iiini, mimI IIiiiI, Im' iiimI Ii'ih roiiiiiiiMMl citv- 
M< «l I li'MiMol v« wi( Il p.loiy. I (np. imirli roiiM Im- Miiid of 
nil III*' <liv»«i«»ii rniii\ui\t\i\iVH vvlio w«'i'<" ii|»mii IIm' j/iomikI 
l.l»rr<i woiiM liiiv" Im'Mi no hIi-j^m oC VlnkHlHir^. it in 
<iw«y lo IiimI (null ; «'«jimlly tmny (o hIiow, nClor ii Imliln, 
liow il 'lin'crciil iiiMMM^ctrMMil vv'HiM liiiv<- |iio(liiri i| die 
li'iMiil, iitid Mior<' M^l\^^i'i\^\\<^t•y rrftiillf,; lull, llin wrilrr 
Croltt llml, lin nnn iiol, inHlly iivoid ii. rrCriinnn lo ♦lirrnni- 

MJ.MtMW'M Mild (iirlM I IimI. «'MIIM' IKMH loilipiMp, (iiMIIMld' I.O 

our luiiiy ill lliin iitiporliiiil ImiIIIo. hi my liiitiililr 
o)HiMoii llio mHHiij/«"iiMiiil, of ( Voclti'i'w divinioii wuh not 
only ImkI, ImiI, ituixciiHitliii*. Il wiim km ^ood ii iliviHioii 
n« wiiM ill llm nnny. 1 1.« |n*i'«i«iinM imrly in llir nrlinn 
wonM ImvM iirodnriMJ i^iciil itnd doniHivo n'MiiirM. 1 1 
MJionld liiivo Immmi fMi^Mf/iMJ nn lioiir Ixdorp \l wiim iiii 
liMiii of «lnn^/lil< I In (III' 'rvvnlllli DiviMioii. W'lulr 
lliiil diviMion wim Imihj/ mm linivily jni'MRi'd, mid ii «'«'r- 
liiin d(di<nl' Im I'mit il, llii'r(« MrpiUMli* nirMM<<n^oi'F< wri'o 
M'Mil, i<H |»liiiniiifr lli<« Miliiniioii nnd iimUii^ llMNiMlnn(«(^ 
T'oi' ov<*r nn lioiii lirloic ( VooKpi'm divinion ndvnniu'd 
Il oi'iMi|ii<d M |i<iMilioii in lint' ol' Imlllr id' lln* i'ool ol* 
llio lull, \\iiliiii 1.00(1 MtidM nl' |||i« ni^lii^' IiiiIIIp, nnd 
iniidi* no inovonii'iil. in ndiid'. Tho lliird dnnnnd lot' 
Indp vvn« n«'nl dlfrrlly lo (jpniMid ^Jrnnl, willi i\\o in 



MILITARY SERVICES. 101 

formation that without iQimodiate a^^istauco our posi- 
tion could not be maintained. Then Crocker's division 
advanced, and bv Grant's direct order. Instead of 
coming up in line of battle, the division came up the 
road, maivhing by the flank, and, at\er passing the 
Twelfth Division, attempted to form their line of bat- 
tle bv tiling to the right in the fkce of the numlerous 
fire. The result was tliat in less than twenty minutes 
the division was compelled to retire, with a loss of 
650 men. Had this division come into action an hour 
earlier, or as soon as it came upon the field, it is quite 
certain that the casualties of both it and the Twelt\h 
Division would have been much less than they wei^ : 
the tbrees on each side more nearly equal, the enemv 
could not have held out so long agtiinst us, and the 
victory won much more decisive. 

But what of Osterhaus, Carr and A. J. Smith's di- 
visions of the Thirteenth Corps, while this famous 
battle was being fought? I call it a famous battle tor 
the reason that General Grant has frequently expressed 
the opinion that it was the pivotal and most important 
battle of the \\-ar. On the morning of the 16th of 
May those divisions were much nearer Champion's 
Hill than were those of Logan and Crocker. Logan and 
Crticker, atler marching many mile^, found the enemv. 
went into the fight, and lost about l,aX) men. Oster- 
haus, Carr and Smith could have found the enemv, 
knew just where he was, in fact, were under the sound 
of his guns from the beginning to the close of the bat- 
tle, could and should have been vigorvnisly en^rai^Hl, 
but were not. Had they all moveil forward and 



102 ALVIN P. HOVEY. 

^' pressed for victory/' as ordered by McClernand, there 
would have been no siege of Vicksburg. 

A very determined effort has been made to hold 
General McClernand responsible for the short-comings 
of the three division commanders. McClernand was 
a good soldier, ambitious it is true, but as brave as 
ambitious; full of life and vigor, a tireless worker, 
very popular with his command, and having the cause 
in which he fought very much at heart. It appears 
impossible that he could have failed in the performance 
of any duty required of him, or in obeying any order 
from his superior in command. It will be remembered 
that during the siege of Vicksburg McClernand was 
relieved of the command of the Thirteenth Army 
Corps. After the corps was sent to the Gulf Depart- 
ment, McClernand was reinstated, came to New Orleans 
and took command of the corps again. Soon after, on 
a Sunday afternoon, while riding out with him to visit 
the camp of one of the regiments of his command, the 
battle of Champion's Hill was one of the subjects of 
conversation. I was free in the expression of my 
opinion that the Twelfth (Hovey's) Division had been 
compelled to submit to a great slaughter, and one that 
could have been avoided had the other three divisions 
of his corps done their duty. McClernand said in re- 
ply that there was no reason why Osterhaus, especially, 
should not have been as hotly and as closely engaged 
as was Hovey, provided the enemy in the same force 
was in his front; that he had sent him (Osterhaus) 
three positive orders to advance and attack vigorously, 
but that Osterhaus had replied to every order that the 



MILITARY SERVICES. 103 

enemy was in such force in his front that he could not 
advance. McClernand knew that this excuse was not 
a valid on^, and that Osterhaus was held back by a 
strong skirmish line with two or three pieces of artil- 
lery. I asked him why, under such circumstances, 
Osterhaus was not at once relieved of his command, ' 
placed in arrest and court-martialed for disobedience 
of orders on the field of battle. JHis reply astonished 
me: '^Because everything turned out favorably ; had 
the battle gone against us, Osterhaus would have been 
cashiered.'' General T. W. Bennett, at that time Colonel 
of the Sixty-ninth Indiana, of Osterhaus' division, has 
frequently told me that, from the position he occupied, 
he could plainly see the rebels withdrawing troops 
from their right, in front of Osterhaus, Carr and 
Smith, to reinforce their left, and that in a short 
time the whole rebel army appeared to be concentrated 
against Hovey, Logan and Crocker; that he notified 
Osterhaus of the condition of affairs, and begged him 
to advance, and, finally, when he became convinced 
that he was determined not to order an attack, he asked 
permission to advance with his regiment alone for the 
purpose of affording some relief to the three divisions 
that were being so sorely pressed, and that his request 
was refused. His Lieutenant-Colonel, Orin Perry, 
fully corroborates General Bennett in his statement. 
Carr and Smith had no better excuse for not being 
actively. engaged than Osterhaus, except that they were 
a little further away when the battle commenced, and 
either of them could have found the place where duty 
called them in much less than four hours. As to A. 



104 ALVIN P. HOVEY. 

J. Smith, General Grant says, in his memoirs, that he 
was the first to exchange shots with the enemy on the 
morning of the 16th. At about 4 o'clock p. M., just 
as the rebels were being driven from the field, the 
three divisions appear to have got on to the ground 
where they should have been hours before, and where, 
if they had been, they could have assisted very materi- 
ally, and no doubt successfully, in cutting off Pember- 
ton's retreat to Vicksburg, and the probable capture of 
his whole army. 

F. 'V. Green, Lieutenant of engineers, U. S. A., 
in his work on the Mississippi campaign, describes 
the situation completely, to wit: "The rout of Pem- 
berton was complete. But if McClernand had acted 
with the energy shown by McPherson, and the three 
division commanders with him — Logan, Plovey and 
Crocker — every man in Pemberton's army would prob- 
ably have been captured. Hovey and Logan's divis- 
ions brought on the battle by an energetic attack, and 
when Pemberton threw his whole force upon them the 
three together bore the brunt of the battle. McCler- 
nand had four divisions, more than half of the army, 
on the middle and Raymond roads. Had he thrown 
his men in with the vigor displayed by Hovey' and 
Logan, he would have brushed aside the small force 
in front of him and cut off the retreat by the Raymond 
road to the ford in the same manner that Logan cut 
off the Clinton road to the bridge. Pemberton would 
have been confronted with superior forces on three 
sides, and an impassable stream on the fourth, and, in 



MILITARY SERVICES. 105 

the demoralized condition of his mea that evening, he 
would have had no option but to surrender." 

I agree with him fully, except wherein he holds 
McClernand responsible instead of his division com- 
manders. They not only failed to assist in whipping 
and capturing Pemberton's army, but permitted the 
rebel General Loring to escape with 4,000 men. If 
they had captured him or driven him back so that he 
would have been corralled with the balance of Pember- 
ton's army in Vicksburg, and finally captured, it 
would have been something to their credit in connec- 
tion with Champion\s Hill. 

The official report of losses is as follows : 

Hovey^s division 1,202 

Logan^s division 403 

Crocker's division 662 

Ostorhaus' division 110 

A. J. Smith's division 28 

Carr's division . . 3 

(One killed and two missing.) 
Blair's division 

Total . 2,408 

It will be seen from this that the loss in Hovey's 
division was only two less than one-half the total. 
The total rebel loss, according to their own reports, 
was 3,839. 

Both of these accounts, as well as the official reports 
and contemporary histories, show that General Hovey's 
division bore; the brunt of the fighting at Champion's 
Hill. 
5 



106 ALVIN P. HOVEY. 

After C'harapion's Hill Grant's movements followed 
in rapid succession, leading to the investment and 
siege of Vicksburg. The siege proper lasted from 
May 22 to July 4. It was a contest of brave men 
and veterans on both sides, but the result was a fore- 
gone conclusion. Fate and Grant had so decreed. 

The Twelfth Division remained at Champion's Hill 
two or three days, burying the dead, caring for the 
wounded, establishing hospital service, etc., and then 
moved to Jackson. 

A member of the late Sixteenth Ohio battery relates 
the following incident : " We crossed the Mississippi 
river at Bruinsburg the night of April 30 with five 
days' rations, which was all we drew for eighteen days. 
In that time we were fighting and skirmishing con- 
stantly. On May 16 the battle of Champion's Hill 
was fought, in which General Hovey's command dis- 
played great gallantry, losing about one-third of the 
division, 1,202, about half the loss sustained in our 
array. The next day our division was left on the bat- 
tle-field to bury the dead. While passing through 
Edwards' station the following day, hungry and tired, 
we discovered a lot of captured sugar, and we wanted 
a little 'sweetening.' But it was guarded — probably 
for the benefit of some Quartermaster — and while we 
were vainly trying to get a taste, General Hovey came 
up, and the following dialogue took place : 



MILITARY SERVICES. 107 

" General Hovey to Sergeant of the ij^uard — ' Hy 
whose order are you guarding this sugar?' 

" Sergeant — ^ M^fjor , Quartermaster regi- 
ment/ 

'^General Hovey — 'Sergeant, give my compliments 
to the Major, and consider yourself relieved from 
further duty as a guard here;' and, turning to the 
hungry boys, he said: 'Boys, help yourselves, but 
don't, waste it. You have fought hard enough for it, 
and there is nothing too good for the boys.'^' 

Another incident of this campaign is related by 
E. T. Lee, present Secretary of an Illinois Veterans' 
Association, who says : '' In the dreadful charge at 
Jackson, Miss., in July, 1863, the Twenty -eighth Illi- 
nois, the Third Iowa, the Forty-first Illinois and 
Fifty-third Illinois Regiments were sent into that val- 
ley of death by the GeneraPs command. We went in 
880 strong, and 645 of our gallant boys were killed or 
wounded. At the close of this unequal contest Gen- 
eral James G. Lanman, our division commander, was 
placed under arrest, charged with the responsibility of 
the great slaughter. It was then that the gallant 
General Hovey took command of Hurlbut's old fio-ht- 
ing Fourth Division. General Hovey came around 
to see us just after we had returned from that desper- 
ate struggle. General Lanman accompanied him. He 
called the regiment out. When the fragment of as 



108 AI.VIN P. HOVEY. 

good a regiment as ever bore the banner from Illinois 
gathered around our old riddled flag and saluted Gen- 
eral Ilovey, our new commander, Yfa said to General 
Laiiman, ^ My God, General ! is this all there is left of 
the Forty -first Illinois?' General Lanman, with tears 
streaming down his cheeks, said : ^ No, General ; the 
rest of them are lying over there,' pointing to the 
battle-field. We remained under General Hovey's 
command some time, and learned to honor and to love 
tiie gallant Hoosier General, who was ever interested 
in tlie welfare of all his men/' 

A little later the division took its ])laee in the lines 
around Vicksburg, and remained there during the 
siege, doing its share of the work and participating in 
the honor and glory of the final victory. 

The following summary of })rincipal events in the 
operations against Vicksburg, with dates in chrono- 
logical order, is compiled from official sources, and 
will interest surviving partici})ants. The dates are in 
1863: 

January 11 — Capture of Arkansas Post. 

January 11 to February 28 — Expedition on Bayou 
Teche. 

January IG — McClernand's river ex])e(lition returns 
to vicinity of Vicksburg. 

January 20 to March 7 — Work on canal opposite 
Vicksburg. 



MILITARY 8KRVK'KH. 109 

January 29 — General Grant takes command of river 
expedition. 

Februarys to Mareh 18 — Work on Lake; Provid(!nc(; 
projeet. 

Mareh 14 — Farragut'.s fleet passes the; batteries at 
Port Hudson. 

Mareh 10 to March 27 — 8teele^s bayou exj)edition. 

Marcli 25 to May 14 — Expedition on Bayou Teche. 

Mareh 29 to April '>0 — Movement from Millikin's 
Bend to Bruinsl)urg. 

April 12 — Engagement at Fort iiisiand, Louisiana. 

April 14 — En<^ag(!ment at Franklin, Louisiana. 

A])ril 20 — Capture of Butte la Rose, Louisiana. 

April 29 — EngagenK^nt at Grand (jJulf. 

April 30 — Grant^s army cross(\s the Mississippi. 

May 1— Battle of Port Gibson. 

May 2 — Evacuation of Grand Gulf l)y rel)els. 

May 7 — Occuj)ation of Louisiana, Louisiana. 

May 12— Battle of Raymond. 

May 14 — Battle of Jaekson. 

May 16 — Battle of Champion^s Hill. 

May 17— Battle of I^ig Black Bridge. 

May 19 — Assaidtat Vicksburg. 

May 19 — Evacuation of Haines' I'ilulT. 

May 22 — Assault at Vicksburg. 

May 22 to July 4 — Siege of Vicks})urg. 

May 24 to July 9 — Siege of Port Hudson. 

May 27 — Assault at Port Hudson. 

June 14 — Assault at Port Hudson. 

June 28 — Engagement at Donahlson ville, Louisiana, 

July 4 — Battle of Helena. 



110 ALVIN P. HOVEY. 

July 4 — Surrender of Vicksburg. 

July 9 — Surrender of Port Hudson. 

The capture of Vicksburg brought to a successful 
conclusion one of the most remarkable and brilliant 
military campaigns in history. The victorious army 
was fatigued and worn out with forced marches and 
the labors of the siege, and General Grant reported 
that many of the troops absolutely required rest. 

Shortly after this General Hovey came home on 
leave of absence. His wife was in poor health. She 
had visited him once or twice with her daughter, and 
had spent a short time in the South in the hope of 
being benefited. General Hovey used to carry her 
up and down stairs in his arms like a sick child. No- 
vember 16, 1863, she died. The daughter, a few years 
later, accompanied her father to South America, when 
he went out as Minister to Peru. There she met and 
was subsequently married to Hon. G. W. Menzies, 
then an officer in the United States navy, now an 
honored citizen of Mt. Vernon, and for many years a 
law partner of General Hovey. 



MILITARY SERVICES. Ill 



CHAPTER IV. 

MILITARY SERVICES — CONTINUED. 

General Hovey was brevetted Major-General July 
4, 1864. Shortly after the opening of the campaign 
in 1864, General Grant, desiring to secure his services 
in reinforcing the army, commissioned him to raise 
10,000 new troops. Under this commission he made 
an earnest appeal to the young unmarried men of In- 
diana to enlist. At this stage of the war it was not 
easy to raise 10,000 new troops, but General Hovey^s 
military reputation, and his earnest efforts in the cause, 
gave a new impetus to enlistments. The young men 
responded promptly to his call. Many of the new 
recruits were not over sixteen years old, and on ac- 
count of their youth they became known as " Hovey's 
Babies.'' But their youth was no detriment. They 
were a bad lot of babies They were almost as bad 
as men. They had all the qualities of good soldiers, 
and soon became young veterans. He took them 
South, where they were attached to Sherman's army, 
and marched with him to the sea Many of them be- 



1 1 2 ALVIN P. HOVEY. 

came famous foragers, and some took deservedly high 
rank among '^ Sherman's bummers." 

Of this special assignment, and the incidents grow- 
ing out of it, General Hovey writes : 

In January, 1864, I was directed to proceed to In- 
dianapolis and aid Governor Oliver P. Morton in 
raising and organizing an Indiana division of volun- 
teers. On the 9th of February following General 
Grant wrote me as follows : 

" Headquarters Military Division of t^e 1 
Mississippi, Nashville, Ten^;., Feb. 9, 1864. / 

^^ Brigadier- General A. P. Hovey^ IndiannpQlis, Ind.: 

" Uear General — The early winter we have had 
betokens an early spring. I am very desirous of be- 
ing ready to take advantage of the first dry roads to 
commence a campaign. Before I can start, however, 
many of our veterans must return, and the new levies 
be brought into the field. Now, General, my particular 
object in detailing you for the service you are now in 
was to have some one who knew the importance of or- 
ganization and discipline with new troops from their 
enlistment. In this way I expected to have troops 
ready for duty from the moment they report for duty. ' 
I wish you would urge upon Governor Morton the 
importance of this, and ask him, for me, to organize 
into companies and regiments all those who are to go 
into new regiments, and to attach those who are des- 
tined to fill up old organizations at once. We will 
have some sharp fighting in the spring, and, if success- 
ful, I believe the war will be ended within a year; if 



MILITARY SERVICES. 113 

the enemy gain temporary advantages, the war will 
be postponed. I want 10,000 new troops badly. 
With such a number, I could let ray veterans go, and 
could drive Longstreet out of East Tennessee. I wish 
you could prevail on the Governor to organize till the 
forces he has and send you here at once, I would 
keep the division together, and where, by contact with 
other troops, they would improve more in one day 
than in six where they are. 

*^ I am, respectfully, your obedient servant, , 

" U. S. Gbant, Major-General.^^ 

To stimulate the young men of Indiana in rapidly 
volunteering for the defense of the Union, I published 
throughout the State the following hand-bill : 

" TO THE YOUNG MEN OF INDIANA : 

^^ I have been ordered by Major-General Grant to 
take command of the United Stales volunteers now 
being raised in Indiana, and organize them into bri- 
gades and divisions. For the first time during the war 
you will have a chance to belong to an Indiana bri- 
gade. Come and let us place the proud name of our 
State still higher on the scroll of fame. This is no 
ordinary opportunity ; it is one that has been ardently 
sought by almost every regiment that has entered the 
service. This may be the only chance you will have, 
of serving your country, and those who stand back 
will hereafter deeply regret that they have failed to 
respond to their country's call. Young men, do not 

PERMIT FATHERS AND HUSBANDS TO FILL THE RANKS 



1 14 ALVIN P, HOVEY. 

THAT FKOPERLY BELONG TO YOU IN THE FIELD OF 
GLORY AND OF DANGER, 

^^Alvin p. Hovey, 

'' Brigadier-General U. S. Vols, 
'' January, I864:' 

Uncer this call, ten regiments, of over 1,000 each, 
and aggregating over 10,000, officers and men, marched 
to the front with orders to report to Major-General Sher- 
man. This was speedily done, and only six of the 
regiments so raised were assigned to my command. I 
need not advert to the silent and deeply-felt disap- 
pointment that followed upon the separation of these 
Indiana volunteers. They expected to be formed into 
one Indiana division ; but there was no redress when 
General Sherman decreed their separation. 

" Theirs not to make reply, 
Theirs not to reason why, 
Theirs but to do or die." 

The First Division of the Twenty - third Army 
Corps, commanded by Major-General Schoiield, was 
assigned to me, and embraced the following regiments : 
One Hundred and Twentieth Regiment Indiana Volun- 
teers, Colonel Richard F. Barter; One Hundred and 
Twenty-third Regiment Indiana Volunteers, Colonel 
John C. McQuieston ; One Hundred and Twenty- 
fourth Regiment Indiana Volunteers, Colonel James 
Burgess; One Hundred and Twenty-eighth Regiment 
Indiana Volunteers, Colonel Richard P. DeHart ; 
One Hundred and Twenty- ninth Regiment Indiana 
Volunteers, Colonel Charles Chase ; One Hundred 
and Thirtieth Regiment Indiana Volunteers, Colonel 



kiLITARY SERVICES. ll5 

Charles S. Parish. The other regiments raised by me 
under the above call were scattered in other directions. 
A very large proportion of the men in the above reg- 
iments were, in conformity with my call, unmarried, 
and under the age of twenty-one years, and, hence, as 
they marched before the old veterans in front, were 
humorously called "Hovey^s babies,^^ or ^^Hovey's 
seedlings }^l but no better troops ever fought under 
the stars and stripes. I will give only one illustra- 
tion. 

The skirmishing and fighting around Resaca, Ga., 
had continued for several days, with severe losses on 
both sides. On the 14th of May my division was or- 
dered to the front, on the extreme left of our army. 
On that part of the field there was a chain of high 
hills, or ridges, forming a horseshoe around a level 
open field. The rebel forces occupied the hills on the 
northern and western sides, while the Federal forces 
faced them on the east, across the field. On the morn- 
ing of the 15th day of May, 1864, I was ordered to 
charge across the open field with my 6,000 " babies," 
while both armies could look down upon my charging 
columns. As we debouched through a valley into the 
open field. General Sherman and General Thomas 
stood, as we passed, with watches in hand, carefully 
regarding our movements. Slight barricades at this 
point had been erected by our forces the night before. 
Shells and rifle balls cut down several men in front* 
Bayonets were fixed, and it was a splendid sight, in 
the full glare of the morning sun, to see 6,000 men 
charging over an open field, with the two armies, of 



116 ALVlN l\ liOVKY. 

over 40,000 men, on the hill-Hides as Hpectators. With 
fixed Uayoiu^U my troops rushod forward by battalions 
ill (3lost^ cchc^loii. Tlic^ chiiors ()[' our <;onirados and the 
shouts of doliancc by tho (Micmy coiild l>t; distinctly 
li((:ii-d iibovo the din of l)attli!. Thc^ enemy gave way 
without waiting to (;ross bayonets, the " l)al)ies^* were 
triumphant, and thc^ l)attle of Kesaea was over. We slept 
that night upon the enciuiy's ii(dd of l)attle, and saw, 
for the first time in (hat (lampaign, the dead and 
wounded of the army ol the galhint and al)le John- 
ston, liet the author of *' 'Die Memoirs" deny this, 
an<l thousands of in(Mj, friends and tormcr foes, will 
answer. On the next morning our whoUi army was 
in hot pursuit of the retreating lbc\ Tlius ended tlie 
battle (►!' li<esa(;a, (la. No historian has deigned to 
mention this l)rilliant and elVeetive eharge, althougii 
tluu'i; are tiiousands of men now living, on both sides 
of tliat battle, who saw the grand and cjhivalrous dash 
of" llovey's babies" from thi; hill-sidf;s. It is d()ul)t- 
ful if any similar ctharge of (JjOOO bayont^ts (;an be 
(bund in the pages of history. In eonehision, I will 
only say that I havc^ never undei'stood why (JencM'al 
Sherman thought proper to<lepriv(^ me of a part of my 
Indiana troops, nor ean I understand iiis silen(!e of 
my eharge, under his eye, at Kesaea. Hut his " Me- 
moirs" are silent. Alvin I*. lloVEV. 

During the raising of tiiis force, and while still 
awaiting orders from the War Department in Indiana, 
(iJencral llovey led an expedition into Kentucky to 
disperses a gathering rebel force and |)revent a threat- 



MtrJTARY HRRVICFA lit 

onod r-jii<l iiilo iJk^ SLihr. lIi? \v;is n^Hliii^ ;il Mojinl, 
V<;ni()n. (/oloncl.s Jolinson and S('i|)(!rl, luul a|>|K!iir(!d 
ill S()iiU»vv<\sl,(5iii Kcuilucky vvilli a vrhvA t'onu; of 
alxKil, 1,00(1. JoliiiHon liad provionsly led i\n) N(!W- 
biir^ raid into iJiis Stale, and tluirc was n^asoii to 
l)('li(;v(; li(^ was plaimin;;- MiioLhcr. At tliis time; (ieiicral 
dailies 1 1 11)^1 1 CM was ill eoiinnaiid ol \\\^'. liidi:i,iia IjU- 
gioii. TIk! situation in the Stat<! was ci*iti(!al, and 
it was iKMHjHsary to niocit ov(!ry thrc^atencd daii^(;r 
promptly. K,(diable inlorniatiori rea(tli(jd ikmoni] IIo- 
vey lliat (/olonels doliiisoii wild Sc^iperl's forees W(!re 
r(*iid(!/voiisin^' in Kentiu^ky with tlie apjiaicMit iiit<!n- 
tion ol' raiding' Indiana, destroying pi-operty, railroads, 
(;t(;. On tlui stnjn^tli of tliis inloririiition (jiciiKiral 
Il()V(!y addressiid (Mineral Ihi^luisa l(;tter Auji;iist M, 
in wlii(;ii lie, proposiMi, if a siilli(;i(Mit foree eouM Ix; 
raised, to eross tlu; river juid disp(!rs(i tli(; r(;b(ds. 
•Uenerjil llii^lu-s aj>j)r()ve(l tin; plan, :nid the ollieers 
and men of" I Ik; hiigion (^ooperatcsd liciartily. In two 
days a lor(;e of 750 men, infantry and (iavalry, were 
nsndezvoiised at Mount V(!r!i<»ii, bein^ pjirts ors<^V(>ral 
rogirruiMts and d(;taehed (M>/rip;niies. l^'ive |>iee.<;s ol 
artillery W'^rc; added, and liors(!s wcjhj presHod into tho 
Hervi<^<;. With this i'ovcA^ (liciKiral llovcjy erosscid lh« 
riv(ir at, llniontown, Ky., and soon siKjeeediul in 
locating tli(; nibel eMtiip. Arran|^emeiits were made to 
attaek, but before tlu^y eonld be (jompb^f^^l the main 



118 ALVI^ P. HOVEY. 

body of the rebels fled. The cavalry skirmished 
slightly and took a few prisoners, but there was no 
general collision. The rebel camp having been broken 
up and the object of the expedition accomplished, the 
force recrossed the river. 

On the 25th of August, 1864, General Hovey was, 
by order of the Secretary of Vv^ar, assigned to the com- 
mand of the military district of Indiana. This as- 
signment devolved upon him an entirely new class of 
duties. His previous service at the front and in the 
field had familiarized him with every phase of war in 
an enemy's country. He had now to discharge the 
very different duties of a military commander brought 
into direct cooperation with the civil authorities of his 
own State. These duties were varied, difficult and im- 
portant, relating to the nailitary operations at the front 
and to the preservation of peace and the suppression 
of disloyal movements within the State. In this posi- 
tion General Hovey was brought into direct and close 
cooperation with Governor O. P. Morton. 

The situation in Indiana was peculiar, and can only 
be described by using plain language, but facts are 
facts. The war record of Indiana is an enduring 
monument to the loyalty and patriotism of her people 
who stood by the government ; but there was another 
class who did all in their power to embarrass and crip- 



MILITARY SERVICES. 119 

pie the efforts of the government to uphold its authority 
and preserve its existence. If the noble sacrifices of 
the former are worthy to be honored as long as the 
sentiments of loyalty and patriotism survive in the 
breasts of men, the infamous conduct of the latter de- 
serves to be held up for execration to the last syllable 
of recorded time. 

There were disloyal men and rebel sympathizers in 
nearly all the Northern States, but nowhere were they 
so numerous, active and well organized as in Indiana. 
For a little while after the firing on Fort Sumter the 
voices of these domestic traitors were hushed in the 
great roar of public patriotism ; but they soon recov- 
ered confidence, and entered on a course of political 
intrigue and revolutionary plotting, which was kept 
up during the entire war. They held meetings and 
conventions, and passed resolutions denouncing the 
prosecution of the war. They labored to produce dis- 
content and disloyalty among the soldiers by sending 
them papers and letters condemning the war, urging 
desertion and promising protection to deserters. In 
nearly every county of the State they formed an or- 
ganization for resisting the draft, protecting deserters 
and obstructing enlistments. Finally, they organized 
a secret treasonable society known as the " Sons of 
Liberty,'^ for the express purpose of aiding the rebell- 
ion by resisting the necessary demands of the govern- 



120 AT.VIN P. HOVEY. 

« 

ment, and prepared by the arming and drilling of its 
members to resort to active hostilities in the prosecu- 
tion of its infamous designs. 

That this organization intended to plunge the State 
into revolution and precipitate civil war within its 
borders admits of no doubt. Space would fail to relate 
the open acts of disloyalty perpetrated by it. Union 
men had been driven from their homes, their houses 
and barns had been burned, draft officers had been 
killed, squads of soldiers sent to arrest deserters had 
been fired upon, and companies of rebel sympathizers 
drilled in open day, with the avowed purpose of resist- 
ing the draft and assisting in a general uprising when 
the time should be ripe for it. 

This brief outline of the situation in Indiana in the 
summer of 1864 shows how serious it was. While the 
soldiers in the field were fighting one rebellion at the 
front there were all the elements of another at the 
rear. It was to deal with this situation that General 
Hovey was appointed in command of the district. It 
was a position that required the knowledge of a law- 
yer, the fidelity of a patriot, and the bravery and ex- 
perience of a tried soldier. Investigations already set 
on foot by Governor Morton had developed the nature 
and extent of the treasonable organization referred to. 
General Hovey lost uo time in possessing himself of 



MILITARY KEUVICES. 121 

this information, and obtaining more. Ho was acting 
under special instructions from the War Department, 
and his powers were as large as his responsibility. 

Following are the instructions from the War De- 
partment which accompanied the order assigning him 
to the command : 

War Department, Adjutant-Gen' j/s Office, ) 
Washington, Sept. 14, 1864. / 
General: In assigning you to the command of 
the military district of the State of Indiana, ojily gen- 
eral instructions can be given to you to take such 
measures as may be in your power to encourage en- 
listments in the army, to arrest and return deserters, 
and for the preservation of the peace, the enforcement 
of the draft, and the repression of any efforts that may 
be made by disloyal persons to resist the drafting offi- 
cers, or to discourage enlistments or facilitate deser- 
tions; and, also, for the secure detention of prisoners 
of war in their respective camps which are in your 
command. The performance of these duties will re- 
quire vigilance, energy and discretion, which it is be- 
lieved you possess, and in respect to the exercise of 
which detailed instructions can not be given. You 
are authorized to exercise within your district the 
powers of tiie commander of a departn)ent in making 
military arrests, in tlie organization of courts-martial, 
and carrying their sentences into effect. You will ren- 
der to the ex('(uitiv(! authority of Indiana whatever 
aid may be needed in the enforcement of the laws 
and the ])rehe]'vation of \ui\vv. The cordial lelatious 



122 ALVIN P. HOVEY. 

• 

which are understood to exist between you and his ex- 
cellency Governor Morton will, no doubt, lead to 
that harmony of action between the Federal and State 
authorities which it is highly desirable should obtain. 

The frequent and thorough inspection of the camps 
of prisoners of war is directed, and also a close super- 
vision of the administration and expenditure of the 
several staif departments. 

You will exercise command over the militia forces 
of the State whenever called into service by direc- 
tion of the President. You will also recommend to 
this department such measures as may be needed to 
protect your district from hostile invasion, or from in- 
surrection by domestic enemies of the government. 
It will be proper to tear in mind, in all your meas- 
ures and recommendations, that all the military power 
of the government is needed for the army in the field, 
and that whatever forces are drawn from the army or 
kept back impair the means for subduing the enemy. 
One of your most important duties, therefore, will be 
to urge forward the draft and volunteering, and hurry 
troops forward to the field. Your usefulness will, in 
a great degree, be measured by your alacrity and suc- 
cess in this direction. It has been the unfortunate 
experience of this department that officers exercising 
your command are all the while calling for troops, or 
inventing excuses for not raising them, or for keeping 
them, back from the field. To cure this evil has been 
one of the reasons for assigning an officer of your 
merit, activity an^ patriotic zeal to the duties now in- 



MiLTtARY SERVICES. l23 

trusted to you. The presence of such a chief ought to 
be ''worth a thousand men.'' 

It will be the disposition of this department to give 
to, you every support and confidence which the delicate 
and responsible trust committed to your charge may 
require; and you are authorized to apply for specific 
instructions from time to time either to the commander 
of the department or (through the Adjutant-General) 
to the Secretary of VVai', as circumstances may re- 
quire. 

I am, General, very respectfully, your obedient serv- 
ant, E. D. TowNSEND, Ass't Adj't-Gen'l. 
Brev, Major -General A P. Hovey, commanding y etc., 

Indianapolis, Indiana. " 

A report of his predecessor in command of the dis- 
trict gave General Hovey the main points of the situa- 
tion, and he had soon mastered the details. The re- 
sult was a complete exposure of the organization and its 
treasonable plans. The exposure embraced the signs, 
grips, pass- words, oaths, ceremonies, principles and pur- 
poses of the order. The membership in the State at 
that time was about 50,000. Its officers had $200,000 
in their hands for the purpose of buying arms. The 
If^aders were in constant communication with the rebels. 
An outbreak had been planned, to take place in August, 
1864. The arsenal at Indianapolis was to be seized, 
railroad and telegraph lines to be cut, and the rebel 
prisoners confined here to be liberated. Governor 



124 ALVIN P. HOVEY. 

Morton was to be captured, and, if necessary, put out 
of the way. The combined forces of released prisoners 
and Sons of Liberty were to join the rebel forces, who 
were to advance to meet them in Kentucky. 

With such information as this in their possession, 
the authorities were fully prepared to act, and deemed 
it their duty to do so. On or about September 1, 1864, 
General Hovey, by order of President Lincoln, ar- 
rested Harrison H. Dodd, Grand Commander of the 
"Sons of Liberty'^ in Indiana, and confined him in 
the military prison in Indiana. A few days later, 
upon his promise not to attempt to escape, he was re- 
moved and confined in a room of the United States 
Court building. About the same time William A. 
Bowles, Lambdin P. Milligan, Andrew Humphreys, 
Stephen Horsey and Horace HelFren were arrested and 
confined in the guard-house of the Soldiers' Home at 
Iiidianapolis. Evidence in the hands of the authorities 
showed three of these persons to be Major-Generals of 
the '* Sous of Liberty'' in Indiana, and the other two 
were officers of the order. It was decided to try these 
men by a military commission, and this course was ap- 
proved from Washington. On the 17th of September 
General Hovey issued an order appointing a commis- 
sion, consisting of Brevet Brigadier-General Silas Col- 
grove, late Colonel of the Twenty-seventh- Indiana 
Volunteers; Colonel William E. McLean, of the 



MlLiTAItY SERVICES. 125 

Forty-third; Colonel Joha T. Wilder, of the Seven- 
teenth ; Colonel Thomas J. Lucas, of the Sixteenth ; 
Colonel Charles D. Murray, of the Eighty-ninth; 
Colonel Benjamin Spooner, of tlie Eighty-third, and 
Colonel Richard P. DeHart, of the One Hundred and 
Twenty-eighth, to try the prisoners. Dodd was tried 
first and alone, and the commission which tried him 
was, by a special order from General Hovey, increased 
by the addition of Colonel A. D. Wass, of the Six- 
tieth Massachusetts Regiment, then stationed at Indi- 
anapolis; Colonel Thomas W. Bennett, of the Sixty- 
ninth Indiana; Colonel Reuben Williams, of the 
Twelfth Indiana, and Colonel Albert Heath, of the 
One Hundredth Indiana. 

The trial of Dodd began on the 22d of September. 
The charges against him were : (1) Conspiracy against 
the Grovernment of the United States; (2) affording 
aid and comfort to rebels against the authority of the 
United States ; (3) inciting insurrection ; (4) disloyal 
practices; (5) violation of the laws of war. He 
pleaded " not guilty,'^ and the examination of witnesses 
commenced at once. The evidence of the conspiracy 
and of his connection with it was very strong. The 
trial continued from day to day until, on the night of 
the 6th of October, Dodd, with the help of friends 
from outside, escaped from the window of the room 



PJf) AT.VIN P. HOVEY. 

wliorc ho was oonfincd, by means of a ro]H;, and fled 
to Canada. He never retnrned to the State. 

Th(i (iharges against the other prisoners were ])re- 
cisely the same as those against Dodd. Their trial 
(M)min('n(*ed ()(itober 21, 1<S()4. The evidenee against 
ih(!Mi was niii<;h strongei' than that against Dodd. It 
was ma(h^ eonclnsivc agiiinst tbnr oC them by HefFren^s 
turning State's evidenee. Bowles, Milligan, Horsey 
and Humph reyn were found guilty, and the first three 
weri! senteneed to death, and the last to iin|)risonm<'nt 
Ibr life. Tlic linding and sentencH^ of the court Avcre 
apj)roved, and IIk; day was lixed and prej)arations 
mad(! (or the execution of the eondenined men. At 
this juiH^ture executive clemency intervened, and a 
telegram from the; President commuted the j)unish- 
mi!Ml to imprisoninenl for lil'e. (ieneral Ilovey was 
directed to take the prisoners to the })enitentiary at 
Columbus, Ohio, and he did so. After the war they 
were pardoned. The object of the arrests was gained 
l)y their conviction and imprisonment. 

These " treason trials,' as they were called, caused 
much exeitenunt in tiic State, and attracted general 
attention throughout the country. As commander of 
the district and the executive oilicer of the govern- 
nuiut, the entire responsibility of the proceeding fell 
on Ciciu'ral llovey. He met it, as he did civery other 
responsibility, with unflinching courage and high de- 



MfTJTAItY HKUVICFJH. 127 

volioii (o duly. H was :iii cxfrfu'diii^ly miplcasaiil 
(Inly, ainl even allciidcMl witli <laii^or, as a very vin- 
di(!tiv(! spirit pr(!vail('<l ainoiij^- tho momhorH of tlui 
order lie was (l^dlli^^^ and Ids life was noDHtanily 
thrcatciHMl. I5iit bravory whidi had l)('<'ii Icslcd at 
tli(! (iamioii's nioiilli and in " th(! innMliiciit deadly 
l)reaeh " was not liicrdy to (ail in deaJin<^^ with '' (!op- 
porheads" and ''Horn of Lil)erty." TIk; thrc^ats of 
rebel sytnpathi/ers in the rear would hardly disturb a 
Boldier wlio had faeed rebel batteries at the fronl. 

General Ilovf^y <!ontinu<id in (lonitnand in Indiana 
till th(! elose of the wai- and inv sonw; titnc; afterward. 
The few months foUowinjjj the close of the war were a 
critical period. Although the storm had ceased, the 
waves were still rolling, and it took firm and ex- 
perienced hands to ^uid(; the shij) of state. There 
was, besid('S, a j^reat deal of work to b<; done whi(3h re- 
quired military knowledge and experience. Jn all 
this work General liovey n^ndered valuable servi(;e. 

The ])assions of the war have subsided, and its events 
hav(! become history. Many of the actors in th(; ^rcjat 
drama have passed away, and those who survive will 
soon be old men. New duties and new issues confront 
them, but the duties of that day were none the less se- 
rious, nor the issues any the less vital, because nearly 
twenty-five yeai's have passed. As a matter of history^ 
ther(;f()re, and a eoixhuiscd nanative o( ev<'nts r('latin^• 



128 ALVIN r. HOVEY. 

to the period under cousideration, we give General 
Hovey's report of the situation and operations in In- 
diana during his command of the district. It can be 
I'ead now without reviving the passions of the war^ 
and in the cold light of history. It is as follows : 

Headquarters District of Indiana, 1 
Indianapolis, Aug. 10, 1865. J 

Brigadier- General L. ThomaSy Adjutant- Gen. U. S, A.: 
General — On the 25th day of August, 1864, by 
authority from the Secretary of War, I assumed com- 
mand of the district of Indiana. Bince that time I 
have made many military arrests, committed many 
citizens to prison, under charges of crime against the 
United States, exercised the power of martial law, and 
executed several prisoners under the sentence of courts- 
martial, where I believed the sentences to be politic 
and just. 

This unusual exercise of military power demands, at 
my hands, an explanation before the facts shall fade from 
the memories of men. Even now, in less than one short 
year, many are looking back at my course, and, being 
unable to grasp the facts which have surrounded me, 
are ready and willing to condemn my acts and asperse 
my character. 

Every movement in an active campaign — marches, 
battles, sieges — demands from the commanding officer 
a true and succinct report. It is of as much, if not of 
more, importance that I, under. the circumstances, 
(Should show the facts which impelled liiy action, so 



MILITAIIY SERVICES. ' 129 

that the historian and ray country may properly un- 
derstand and record the stirring events of this age. 

A large portion of the people of Indiana are emi- 
grants from the South, or their descendants, and their 
ties of relationship and love of former locality were 
not easily forgotten. When the war first broke out, 
the people of this State, as with one accord, and with- 
out distinction of party, were shocked and indignant. 
True, there were many who deeply sympathized with 
the rebel movement, and justified the firing on Sum- 
ter — who were willing to look with a favorable eye on 
the rebellion, and disposed to indulge in harsh words 
and feelings against every movement of the executive 
for its suppression. This feeling was not common at 
first, but soon assumed a definite form, and when the 
necessities of the service compelled a resort to con- 
scription their numbers were augmented by the timid 
and the fearful. The rigidity with which the party lines 
had been drawn in former years enabled the unscrupu- 
lous demagogues of the hour to make use of all the 
disaffected of every party, and by the mere fact of op- 
posing the administration large numbers of the Demo- 
cratic party who felt it to be their duty to oppose Mr. 
Lincoln, right or wrong, swelled this opposition. 
Demagogues, seizing the apparent opposition to the 
administration, carried the election in 1862, and re- 
turned a majority to the House of Representatives in 
this State unfavorable to the prosecution of the war. 

The records of that body show a determined oppo- 
sition to the administration, and a desire to find fault 
with every act of the commander-in-chief of our ar- 



130 ALVIN P. HOVEY. 

raies. The trickery resorted to on every occasion clearly 
shows that the majority were determined to throw 
every obstacle in the way of aiding the government in 
prosecuting the war. 

On the first day of the session, January 8, 1863, 
Mr. Jones, of Wayne county, offered the following 
resolution : 

" Whereas, The suppression of the rebellion, the 
restoration and preservation of all the States, is the 
great and paramount object of all loyal citizens ; 
therefore, be it 

^' Resolved J That the members of this Legislature 
will vote for no man for office who is not in favor of 
a vigorous prosecution of the war, and who is not 
unalterably opposed to the severance of any Stale or 
States of the Union. '^ 

This resolution was buried by referring it to a com- 
mittee on Federal relations, from whence, like other 
resolutions which favored the prosecution of the war, 
it was never permitted to reappear. 

On the following day a strong and bitter resolution 
was passed by the opposition, styling themselves Dem- 
ocrats, condemnatory of the action of the President 
and military authorities in making arrests, attempting 
to curb the press of the North and the suppression of 
the writ of habeas coiyus. This resolution styles these 
acts as " arbitrary, violent, insulting and degrading to a 
degree unknown to any government on earth, except 
those avowedly and notoriously wicked, cruel and 
despotic.'^ And yet, up to this time, I have not learned 
of a single arrest that was not based u])on crime com- 



MIM'IAItY Hl',1' VH)I<,H. I .'i I 

tnillcd :i|'<iitiHl. IIk; p;()Vci'Miiirnl , ;iii«l vvliirii vviih iioI 
jiiHlilicd ill iIk! ((ycH of Jill loyiil iikh wIio dcHiiw-d (lie 
Hiippn^HMioii of dm rclx'IIIoii. 

TIk; ntl-itmpl. whm uIho injuh* iii, llw! hitint nni /inn, hy 
I,Im'H<* [)Mrl,iMJiMH, 1,0 (I<'|Mlv<r (iov^Tiior Morion of Imh 
c-oiihI iliilionul f'i^iil, an (•(»iMiii;iii(|('r-Iii-<!lii<tC, (o cttn- 
(rol I In* iiiilitJa of i\u' Hinic, jiimI (tonlin* Imh powcrn 
upon llirofi oUhmuIh Hinco |)rov(;<l To Ix.lo/i^ lo IJic, 
(liHloyiil orp;uiii/.Jil-ioiiH, ** K ni^liln ol'liic ( loMcn ( )ii'(?l<*< " 
and " SoiiH «»r lillMa'ly." OpjMiMillon (lirou^lionl Uh; 
Hl'dU', lo lli(t (inron;(;nwiil (if lii<; rr*Hj»<^<!liv<'. (IraClM roiind 
••('a<ly and willing'; Hiippoi h-i'H in lliosc vvlio raihcd llniMO 
f<rpn!H(;ntal.iv('H inlo pow<!r. 

A i'c.w t'Klviu'XH and Hlat(Mn<',nl,M (Voni i\n; r<;MolnlionH 
oI'iIiIh oIuhhoC pid>lio (JiioiuiriH, vvlio w<M(i M^IiIjii}/; nn in 
IIk; Fiiiil'f will hIiow iJio Hpiril wlii(;li iminialid llicm in 
lli'iir nnjiiHlili<'jl)l<- .'ind Ir'-iiHonaMc «;oiuM<r lovvuid om 
j^'ovrimMwiL 

itKHoi.irrioNH. 

('anoll rfounty, January 1, I HO.'i OppoH<'<l lo 1 In- 
war sind l,li({ I*r<!H((l<'Jil'H pro'djuiiMl ion of <iiiaiiripiil ion. 

I'.rowii (50iJtity, January I In fiivor of an arrniMl,i<'(r, 
(!onij)rorinM(i and aniintHty to njhrdH. 

Iiawr<MHMM!oiiii(,y, .lanuary "M — Anii w;n ;ind ;jji(,i 
(unancipal.ion. 

Htarl«; ftoiinly, .la,nii;iry '-^1 -Aiili war, for (5<tH«al,ion 
of lioHlilllicH and nalional ';nnv<'nlion. 

li.UMli (MMinly, .Ijinu.'iry *'l " Wai* a, niin-dcj'ouH naori • 
li';*' of men," and in llivor of pcuti;, ;i,nniHtir5r), (jtc, 

lt<;'oIul,ionH p!iHH<;d al a l<'i--ljval y;\vt'.ii (,o H<jnal.(H' 
I Icndrirl'.H, in Hlndhy <',«>nnl.y , I*\l»ruary f>, dmountxi 



132 ALVIN P, HOVEY. 

the administration, arbitrary arrests, the snspension of 
the writ of habeas corpns, oppose emancipation, favor 
a cessation of hostilities, and oppose the conscript 
laws. 

Bartholomew county, February 7 — Same as Hen- 
dricks festival. 

De Kalb county, January 31 — Denounces the war as 
''An unholy crusade, to which they will not give one 
cent or send one sins^le soldier.'' 

Martin county, January 31 — '' We regard the ad- 
ministration at A^'^ashington as an usurpation and 
tyranny, and oppose giving nnotlier man or another 
dollar to the war." 

Greene county, February 7, 1863 (Andy Humphreys 
one of the Committee on Resolutions) — Denounces the 
emancipation proclamation as a '' palpable usurpation 
of executive power,"' and declares that '' We are not in 
favor of furnishing the present administration another 
man, gun, or dollar for such a hellish crusade" (the 
war); "that arbitrary arrests, if persisted in, should 
be resisted by the strong arm of the people." 

Scott county, January 26 — Anti-war, and in favor 
of a State Military Board, which would have taken 
away the constitutional right of the Governor, over 
the State militia. 

Putnam county, February 21 — Simihir to the Greene 
county resolutions. 

Jackson county, February 19 — Revohuionary and 
anti-war. 

De Kalb county, February 21 — Revolutionary, and 
against the war. 



MILITARY SERVICES. 133 

March 18 — Democratic club of Indianapolis de- 
manding a State convention because the Legislature 
had failed to protect the citizens against the tyranny 
of the administration, and declaring in favor of a ces- 
sation of hostilities. 

Warren county, March 7 — Anti-conscription and 
anti-administration. 

Tenth and Eleventh districts, in convention at Fort 
Wayne — Resolutions arraign the administration as 
tyrannical, and propose revolution as the last resort. 

At the Logansport mass-meeting, June 13, the eighth 
resolution denounces arrest and trial of Vallandigham 
as a flagrant crime against liberty. 

March 21, 1863 — The Democracy of Wayne county, 
Indiana, met at Cambridge City, and resolved : 

1. "That the further prosecution of this war will 
result in the overthrow of the constitution, in the 
overthrow of civil liberty, in the elevation of the 
black man and the degradation of the white man in 
the social and political status of the country.*' 

2. Favors an armistice and national convention of 
all the States. 

3. Denounces the clergy. 

4. Denounces the provost-marshal system as an in- 
stitution unknown to the constitution, subversive to 
State rights, dangerous to liberty, obnoxious to lawful 
resistance, in conflict with civil jurisdiction, and 
pregnant with demoralization to society. 

5. "That we say to the administration that, as the 
"Lord reigns in heaven, it can not go on with its pro- 
vost-marshals and police officials arresting free white 



134 ALVIN P. HOVEY. 

men for what they conceive to be their duty within 
the plain provisions of the constitution, and maintain 
peace in the loyal States. Blood will flow ! They can 
not, and shall not, forge fetters for our limbs without 
a struggle for the mastery." [Quoted almost verbatim 
from Hon. Daniel Vorhees' speech on the conscript 
bill, February 23, 1863.] 

At the State Democratic mass convention, May 30, 
1863, many in attendance were arrested, and 1,500 
revolvers were taken on the Central and Peru trains. 

Allen county, August 3 — States' rights radical. 
^' That, in view of these facts, we declare the proposed 
draft for five hundred thousand (500,000) men the 
most damnable of all the outrages that have been per- 
petrated upon the people by this administration, and 
we further declare that the honor, dignity, and safety 
of the people demand that, against ruin and enslave- 
ment, they must afford to themselves that protection 
which usurpation and tyranny deny them." 

It would be grossly unjust to the people of the State 
to say that the old Democratic party, as a mass, enter- 
tained these views, or were, in fact, tainted with the 
disloyalty expressed in these resolutions. The Demo- 
cratic party, during these troublous times, had several 
distinct classes that comprised the whole : 

First — There was, as in all parties, an honest class 
that support their leaders, believiug in their infalli- 
bility. 

Second — -A class of men who really feared the dan- 
gers and hardships of the army, and shrank, coward- 



MILITARY SEKVICES. 135 

like, from the perils of the hour. This class came from 
all the old parties. 

Third — A deluded class, who believed that the gov- 
ernment would prove unsuccessful, and that mountains 
of taxes would fall upon themselves to defray the ex- 
penses of this war. 

Fourth — A corrupt set of traitors, many of whom 
were bribed by rebel gold and led on by partisan 
hatred, by Southern association and affiliations to sup- 
port the South. This class, at first far inferior in num- 
bers to any of the others, was more active and un- 
tiring, and, by means of secret societies and Southern 
gold, controlled, as far as they could, the officers of the 
State. A large portion of the last named class, in 
the course of time, became active traitors — conspired 
against the government, received over $500,000 of 
rebel gold to arm their socities, formed their companies 
and regiments, divided the State into districts, ap- 
pointed their officers, including one Grand Commander, 
Harrison H. Dodd ; one Deputy Grand Commander, 
Horace Heffren ; four Major-Generals, Bowles, Milli- 
gan, Humphreys and Walker, and had made all the 
preparations for involving in its treasonable plans the 
entire Democracy of the State. Many of the '^ Sons 
of Liberty'^ had intended to create a rebellion in the 
State on the 16th day of August, 1864, by concentrat- 
ing a Democratic mass-meeting at Indianapolis, seiz- 
ing the United States arsenal, liberating 5,000 rebel 
prisoners then at Camp Morton, and with fire and sword 
pressing forward to join Buckner in Kentucky. Sev- 
eral events frustrated this plan : 



136 ALVIN P. HOVEY. 

First — The rebels of Illinois and Missouri were to 
rise at the same time, and meet General Price, who 
was to invade Missouri. Price, as is well known, was 
unable to make the invasion as contemplated, only 
reaching the western boundaries of that State. 

Second — General Buckner's forces, a part of which 
was composed of Colonel Seipert's and Colonel John- 
son's commands, commenced conscripting men for the 
rebel cause in Kentucky, and threatening our border 
on the Ohio river. With the Forty-sixth and Thirty- 
second Indiana Volunteers, and militia raised in Posey 
and Vanderburgh counties, I drove these forces back 
from the banks of the Ohio, on the 14th of August, 
which had a decided effect upon public feeling in In- 
diana. A report of this affair has already been made 
to the Adjutant-General. 

Third — And probably the strongest reason, in this 
State, why the outbreak did not occur at that time, 
was the fact that the Hon. M. C. Kerr, member of 
Congress, Second Congressional District, and Hon. 
Joseph E. McDonald, and others, who were leaders 
of the Democracy at the time, learned the fact, called 
a meeting at Indianapolis, and prevailed upon those 
commanding the conspiracy to desist. 

Arms of the conspirators had been seized at Indian- 
apolis, and others were known to have been scattered 
throughout the State, and placed in the hands of the 
disloyal. Rebel emissaries and officers had been sent 
by President Davis to lead the rebel forces that might 
be liberated, and those who might volunteer from this 
State to join the flag of the rebellion. With the full 



MILITARY SERVICES. 137 

knowledge of the presence of these officials in Indian- 
apolis, the chairman of the Democratic Central Com- 
mittee, the editor of the Democratic organ in this 
State, Joseph J. Bingham, remained silent, permitted 
them to mature their schemes, and unmolested to de- 
part. Repeatedly denying the existence of the secret 
order of the '^ Sons of Liberty " in his paper, while 
he w^asa member, he continued denouncing the admin- 
istration, and in many and indirect ways opposing the 
draft, until he was arrested for .conspiracy. It is but 
justice to him to say that, brought to the stand, he 
testified to the facts that he had long been a member 
of the order, knew the treasonable designs of some of 
the members, the presence of rebel officers in the city 
of Indianapolis, and that he did all in his power to 
prevent the contemplated outbreak on the 16th day of 
August. 

I mention these facts with no partisan feeling, and 
^^ more in sorrow than in anger,^^ and I regret that I 
am compelled to name parties in this connection, and 
only do so to present a clear understanding of my po- 
sition during my command in this district. Mr. 
Bingham is still chairman of the Democratic Central 
Committee, and chief editor of the Sentinel. This 
may mean something or nothing, as the wise historians 
of the future may determine. 

In this condition, with the government denounced 
and the laws defied, the record of the crimes of the 
conspirators is still be enlarged by wanton murders of 
officers and soldiers in several parts of the State. The 
following, among others, maybe mentioned; 



138 ALVIN P. HOVEY. 

January 30, 1863. — A detail of soldiers, arresting 
deserters at Waverly, Morgan county, fired on by 
rebel sympathizers. • 

January 1. — Deserters rescued by an armed force in 
Noble township, Jay county. 

June 12. — Resistance to the enrollment by armed 
men in Johnson county. 

June 15. — Fifty armed men attacked the house of 
James Sill, enrolling officer of Marion township, Put- 
nam county, and demanded the enrollment lists. Sixty 
shots were fired at the house after leaving. At the 
same time the enrollment books and papers were de- 
stroyed in Jefferson township, Putnam county. 

The same week the books of Cloverdale township, 
Putnam county, were stolen. 

June 15. — The enrolling officer of Whitestown, 
Boone county, was interfered with by rioters, to pre- 
vent an enrollment. 

June 18. — Fletcher Freeman, enrolling officer of 
Sullivan county, shot dead. 

June 11. — The enrolling officer of Waterloo town- 
ship, Fayette county, was fired on while in the dis- 
charge of his duties. 

June 10. — Hon. Frank Stevens killed and Craycraif 
wounded near Manilla, while enrolling Walker town- 
ship. Rush county. A short time before this the Rush- 
ville Jachsoaian, a Democratic paper, had advised the 
enrolling officers to insure their lives before commenc- 
ing the enrollment. 

June 20, or about that time, the enrollment was re- 



MILITARY 8ERVICE8. 139 

sisted in Indian Creek township, Monroe county, and 
papers destroyed. 

June 16. — The enrolling officer oP Daviess countv 
was notified not to enroll the county. 

October 3, 1864.— Captain Eli McCarty murdered 
in Daviess county while serving notices on drafted 
men. 

With their hands red with the blood of these inno- 
cent officers and men, their unlawful combinations 
were drilling for warlike duty in several counties in 
the State, and defying those who attempted to enforce 
the law. With secret societies numbering about 
40,000 members, meeting at midnight, plotting treason, 
and threatening the life of the Governor of the State, 
I was, by special order from the War Department, 
placed in command of this district, wdth power to 
make military arrests. 

Great excitement prevailed. The elections for Gov- 
ernor and State nnrl Federal offices were being can- 
vassed, and both parties expiv.s.scd great fears of fraud 
and force being used at the polls. On the Democratic 
State ticket three prominent gentlemen known to be- 
long to the ^'Sons of Liberty ^' were candidates for re- 
election. The conspirators were defiant, and sanguine 
of defeating the Union candidates with the Democratic 
nominees. During this exciting period I deemed it 
necessary, for the purpose of bringing the great crimi- 
nals of this State to justice and opening the eyes of 
the honest, to arrest Harrison H. Dodd, L. P. Milli- 
gan, Andy Humphreys, Horace "HeflPren, James ^Vil- 
son, M. D., William A. Bowles, Stephen Horsey, and 



140 ALVIN P. HOVEY. 

others, as officers of the army of conspirators, and Jo- 
seph J. Bingham, and others, as aiders and abettors of 
the treason. The trials of some of those arrested have 
become historical, and need no further mention. The 
evidence elicited made patent the treasonable designs 
of the conspirators, and the people who were opposed 
to the prosecution of the war of the rebellion, as man- 
ifested by their representatives in 1862, returned tri- 
umphant majorities for Governor Morton and the 
Union candidates in 1864. 

Bingham, Wilson, Heffren and Harrison were used 
as witnesses in the trials of Dodd, Bowles, Milligan, 
and others, not only to prove the conspiracy, but to 
convince the public mind, and were in consequence 
released from arrest. Many more instances of out- 
rage against the agents of the government, and many 
additional resolves, might be recited which would 
clearly show the evil acts and designs of rebel sympa- 
thizers in Indiana. 

The history of every county is filled with the mem- 
ory of their disloyalty. Enough has been shown, I 
think, to exhibit the spirit of the hour and the age, 
and justify the military authorities in taking active 
steps to crush this home rebellion, and in bringing 
the guilty conspirators to justice. Courts, composed 
of the bravest, the purest and the best of the land, 
have sat in judgment, and their sentences are now a 
part of the history of the country. With a clear un- 
derstanding of the events of the past, I have nothing 
to fear from the judgment of the present or the future. 

Knowing the people of my native State, knowing 



Military services. 141 

the ability of those who led the opposition to the sup- 
pression of the rebellion, knowing the danger and the 
necessities of the hour, I smote as many of the heads 
of the hydra as my saber could safely reach ; and 
though, as in ancient days, they seemed for a while to 
multiply, there are but few now to be found who will 
willingly admit that they sprang from the monster. 

I may have erred, but have not yet been made con- 
scious of the fact. Drafted men, and others who were 
fearful of being compelled to enter the army under 
the last conscription, raised the prices of substitutes 
in this district in the autumn of 1864, and large 
amounts were paid, in some cases reaching as high as 
^1,800. This drew to this State from Canada and 
the North hundreds of professional bounty -jumpers — 
no less than 350 of whom were arrested and imprisoned 
during my command. 

The evil of " bounty-jumping^^ became very great. 
At least 1,000 had received the bounties and deserted 
from the draft rendezvous, then under command of 
Brigadier-General Carrington, so that I deemed it 
necessary to resort to the most sev^ere measures to pre- 
vent it. Accordingly, on the 23d day of December, 
1864, 1 caused three of the most infamous of this class, 
after being tried and condemned, to be shot to death. 
This, with sending about 260 to the front in chains, 
had the desired effect, and '^ bounty-jumping^^ ceased 
to be a crime in this district. 

I am, General, very respectfully, your obedient 
servant, Alvin P. Hovey, 

Brevet Major-General U. S. V. 



142 ALVIN P. HOVJE-r. 

Six years after the war Lambden P. Milligan brought 
suit against General Hovey and others to recover dam- 
ages for alleged false imprisonment under the finding 
of the military commission in 1864, and for personal 
injuries alleged to have been caused thereby. 

The suit revived the memories of the war and of the 
events herein referred to. The late Hon. Thomas A. 
Hendricks appeared for the plaintiff, and General Ben- 
jamin Harrison was appointed by President Grant for 
the defense. It was the old issue, with two of its old rep- 
resentatives pitted against one another. On the part 
of the defense, it was a future Republican candidate for 
President defending a future Republican candidate for 
Governor against a claim for damages on account of 
acts done in the line of his duty and in the service and 
defense of the government during the war. 

The trial took place in the United States Circuit 
Court at Indianapolis, beginning May 16, 1871, and 
ending May 29. The testimony covered a wide range, 
and brought out in vivid colors the history of the 
military trial and the situation in Indiana during the 
war. General Harrison's address to the jury was a 
masterpiece of forensic eloquence. 

The plaintiff laid his damages at $100,000. The 
jury gave him a verdict, and assessed his damages at 
five dollars. This was about as plain a verdict of 
guilty as that rendered by the military commission. 



MILTTARY SERVICES. 143 

The Indianapolis Journal, in publishing General 
Harrison^s speech, June 1, 1871, said : 

We commend the speech to the careful consider- 
ation of our citizens. It recounts in a graphic man- 
ner the perils which environed our fair city and State 
during one of the most trying periods of the war, and 
while it will serve to revive the hatred and indigna- 
tio*h which every patriot should feel for the bloody- 
minded men who were preparing to deliver over our 
city and State to the miscreants who murdered and 
starved prisoners of war, it will kindle anew the grati- 
tude of our people to General Hovey and his patriotic 
comrades who, by their prompt action, thwarted the 
designs of the conspirators. 

Of the merits of the case, the Journal said editori- 
ally: 

Concerning Milligan\s connection with the military 
plans of the Sons of Liberty there will always be a 
diversity of opinion. We have always regarded him, 
and still believe him to have been, one of the worst, 
guiltiest and most dangerous men of the band, and 
have always considered it a misfortune that he was 
not arrested, tried and hung by the civil authorities 
in 1864. If Milligan and his associates could have 
had their way in Indiana, a formidable rebel army 
would have been turned loose upon the inhabitants of 
the Northwestern States, then comparatively defense- 
less, and war in its worst form would have devastated 
Indiana, Ohio and Illinois. That this scheme \\ias not 
realized is owing altogether to the patriotism, vigilance. 



144 ALVIN P. HOVEY. 

courage and decision of General Hovey, General Car- 
rington, and their military associates, who assumed 
the responsibility of seizing the principal conspirators, 
and thus struck terror to the hearts of the misguided 
men who had joined them in their treasonable designs. 

General Hovey's military record was without a 

blemish. The only attempt ever made to assail his 

record or belittle his services was based on the foll<5w- 

ing letter, written by General W. T. Sherman : 

Headquakters Military Division of the Mis-^ 
sissippi, IN THE Field, near Atlanta, Ga., V 

July 25, 1864. j 

Colonel James Hardie, Inspector- General, Washington^ 

D. C: 

I have your dispatch of yesterday. * * * I wish 
to put on record this, my emphatic opinion, that it is 
an act of injustice to officers who stand by their posts 
in the day of danger to neglect them and advance such 
as General Hovey, who left us in the midst of bullets 
to go to the rear in search of personal advancement. 
If the rear be the post of honor, then we had better 
all change front on Washington. 

W. T. Sherman, Major-General Commanding.* 

This letter found its way into print, and long after 
the war it was used by General Hovey's political en- 
emies as the basis of a cowardly attack on his military 
character. It was not exactly an attack in the rear, 
but a stab in the back. General Sherman\s letter did 
General Hovey injustice, as Sherman himself virtually 



MILITARY SERVICES. 145 

admitted later. That great and gallant soldier some- 
times spoke hastily, and even wrote without duly- 
weighing his words. This was one of the instances. 
Many years later, in his published " Memoirs/^ he 
alluded to the matter as follows : 

"On the 24th of July, 1864, I received a dispatch 
from Inspector-General James A. Hardie, then on 
duty at the War Department in Washington, to the 
effect that Generals Osterhaus and Alvin P. Hovey 
had been appointed Major-Generals. Both of these 
had begun the campaign with- us in command of di- 
visions, but had gone to the rear — the former by rea- 
son of sickness, and the latter dissatisfied with General 
Schofield and myself about the composition of his di- 
vision in the Twenty-third Corps. Both were es- 
teemed as first-class officers, who had gained special 
distinction in the Yicksburg campaign. But up to 
that time, when the newspapers announced, daily pro- 
motions elsewhere, no prominent officers serving with 
me had been advanced a peg, and I felt hurt. I an- 
swered Hardie on the 25th, in a dispatch which has 
been made public, closing with this language : ^ If 
the rear be the post of honor, then we had better all 
change front on Washington.^ To my amazement, in 
a few days I received from President Lincoln himself 
an answer, in which he caught me fairly. I have not 
preserved a copy of that dispatch, and suppose it was 
burned up in the Chicago fire; but it was character- 
istic of Mr. Lincoln, and was dated the 26th or 27th 
of July, containing unequivocal expressions of respect 



146 ALVIN P. HOVEY. 

for those who were fighting hard and unselfishly, offer- 
ing as a full share of the honors and rewards of the 
war, and saying that in the cases of Hovey and Os- 
terhaus he was influenced mainly by recommendations 
of Generals Grant and Sherman. On the 27th I re- 
plied direct, apologizing somewhat for my message 
to General Hardie, saying that I did not suppose such 
messages ever reached him personally, explaining that 
General Grant's and Sherman's recommendations for 
Hovey and Osterhaus had been made when the events 
of Yicksburg were fresh with us, and that my dis- 
patch of the 25th to General Hardie had reflected 
chiefly the feelings of the officers then present with 
me before Atlanta/' 

This extract from Sherman's Memoirs, written 
many years after the letter, explains it in a way en- 
tirely creditable to General Hovey. It will be ob- 
served that the letter contains no word of censure on 
Hovey. If it was a censure of anybody it was of the 
President, from whom all promotions came. Second, 
the letter embraced another brave and capable officer 
besides Hovey, of whom Sherman says : " Both were 
esteemed as first-class officers, who had gained special 
distinction in the Vicksburg campaign." Third, the 
President turned the tables on Sherman by citing his 
own written recommendation for Hovey's promotion. 
Finally, General Sherman wrote to the President, apol- 
ogizing for his hasty letter, and stating that his letter 



MILITARY SERVICES. 147 

to Hardie "reflected chiefly the feelings of the officers 
then present with me before Atlanta/^ This is equiv= 
alent to saying that it did not reflect his deliberate 
judgment. At all events, his written recommendation 
for Hovey^s promotion silenced him. As a matter of 
fact, the real injustice was to Hovey in not receiving 
an earlier promotion, for Grant and Sherman had rec- 
ommended it in July, 1863, and he did not receive it 
till July, 1864. A short time before he did receive it, 
being in Washington, he called on the President to 
ask why he had not been promoted when others rec- 
ommended for promotion at the same time had been. 
President Lincoln, anticipating his complaint, said : 
"Your commission has long since been made out and 
signed, and you are a Major-General already." 

^' I do not question your word," said General Hovey, 
'^ but your mails seem to be a long time coming. I 
have never received a commission to be Major-General, 
although my juniors have been appointed over me." 

The astonishment of President Lincoln was great. 
He bade General Hovey to return to his home and be 
reconciled, assuring him that there had been some 
great wrong committed ; that the commission for him 
as Major-General had been directed from the White 
House long before, and that some one was to blame. 
General Hovey retired to his home, and shortly after 
that liis commission as Major-General reached him. 



148 ALVIN P. HOVEY. 

In the light of these facts, and of General Sherman's 
explanation of the letter in his "Memoirs,'' it can not 
be construed as in the slightest degree discreditable to 
General Hovey. In fact, as General Sherman dis- 
tinctly terms him a first-class officer who had gained 
special distinction in the Yicksburg campaign, the 
whole incident inures to his credit. 

After General Hovey's nomination for governor 
some attempts were made to misrepresent or belittle 
his military record. One of these called out the fol- 
lowing letter to the Madison Courier^ from General 
George F. McGinnis, who, as already stated, com- 
manded a brigade in Hovey's division. His letter, 
dated Indianapolis, September 1, 1888, is as follows: 

A friend of mine has sent me two slips cut from 
the Herald, a Democratic paper published at Madison, 
Ind. From one of the slips I read as follows: "Hovey 
ran at the battle of Champion's Hill." From the 
other the following : 

" HoYEY AT Champion's Hill. 

" The record shows that General Hovey, through 
his stupidity and bad generalship, caused over 1,200 
of his soldiers to be slaughtered at Champion's Hill, 
and had not General Grant arrived when he did, and 
took command of the Twelfth Division, that part of 
our army would have met the same fate of Custer's 
men — there woqlcj not have been one left to tell the 



MILITARY SERVICES 149 

tale, unless, perhaps, a few sutlers and qnartermasters, 
skulkins: in the rear, mis^ht have eseaiied to tell what 
they knew of the s^reat battle they smelt from afar/' 

I am informed that the editor of the Herald elaims 
to have been a participant in that celebrated battle. 
I do not believe it, for if he was he knows of his own 
knowledge that the charges above quoted are abso- 
lutely, maliciously and wickedly false, and, to the best 
of my information, he is the first and only man (is he 
a man?), soldier or not, who has ever stooped so low, 
or has so little regard for his integrity and the respect 
of his fellow-men, as to make such charges against 
General Hovey. I had the honor of commanding a 
brigade in Hovey's division from the beginning to the 
close of the Vicksburg campaign ; was at Champion's 
Hill, engaged for four solid hours in a continuous 
battle, and say emphatically that General Hovey dis- 
played neither stupidity, lack of courage nor bad gen- 
eralship in that battle. On the contrary, he showed 
good judgment and skill in the management of his 
division, and his exhibition of nerve and gallantry was 
equal to that of any man engaged in that battle. He 
knew just what to do and when to do it, and it was 
through his eiforts, courage and determination, more 
than any other one man, that Champion's Hill resulted 
in a victory to the Union cause, and gave us Vicks- 
burg and the Mississippi river from source to mouth. 

Hovey's division went into that battle to fight and 
to win. Everv man knew that the success of the cam- 
paign depended upon the result. They did fight and win . 
In order to win the battle it was actually necessary that 



150 ALVIN P. HOVEY. 

Hovey^s division should lose 1,200 men (or more, if 
the circumstances and urgency of the case required it), 
and rather than fail it would have lost twice 1,200 
men. Hovey knew that reinforcements were coming, 
and that victory depended on his division holding its 
ground and the enemy at bay until the reinforcements 
arrived. He held his troops bravely and steadily to 
the work until help came. No man during the war 
staid in a battle more bravely and persistently than 
did General Hovey at Champion^s Hill. General Grant 
says " Hovey^s division stood the brunt of the battle." 
Its loss of more than 1,200 men, one-half of the total 
loss, is sufficient proof of it. 

The twaddle about General Grant taking command 
of the Twelfth Division during the progress of the 
battle is simply ridiculous, and a lie, as every one 
knows who was there. He did not do so, for he knew 
that in General Hovey he had a division commander 
that could be trusted under any and all circumstances. 
He had been with him in battle before, and knew he 
could be relied on. 

Grant, in his Memoirs, speaking of the disposition 
of the troops after the battle, says: '' Hovey remained ^ 
on the field where his troops had fought so bravely 
and bled so freely." No higher praise was ever be- 
stowed by General Grant uj/on any officer or division 
than that. After the fall of Vicksburg Grant rec- 
ommended Hovey for promotion, which is the best 
evidence that he recognized him as a brave and com- 
petent officer. 

If the Herald man was at or near Champion's Hill 



Military services. 151 

ou the day of the battle, he must have been with "■ 2 
few sutlers and quartermasters skulking in the rear,* 
otherwise he would have known better than try to be- 
little General Hovey^s military record. 

I hope and trust that the Herald^ s cowardly attack 
of Hovey will be put into the hands of every Indiana 
soldier who marched and fought with Grant, Sherman, 
Logan and Hovey in the Vicksburg campaign. 

General Dan McCauley, formerly Colonel of the 
Eleventh Indiana Regiment, who served under General 
Hovey, having had his attention called to this same 
newspaper attack on his old commander, wrote as fol- 
lows : 

The one who can deliberately asperse a splendid 
soldier\s military re'cord because he happens to be a 
candidate for office merits the contempt of every Union 
soldier, regardless of politics or location. General 
Hovey was a gallant fighter and a skillful officer, 
ranking deservedly among the best and bravest of 
those who saved this nation. Soldiers everywhere, for 
their own fame, should make common cause, and cover 
with shame and confusion every such slanderer of 
honorable comrades. As one proud to have fought 
under General Hovey at Champion's Hill and else- 
where, I offer my indignant protest. 

General W. J. Landram, of Lexington, Ky., who 
was with General Hovey during the Vicksburg cam- 
paign, writes : 



152 ALVIN P. HOVBY. 

Among the many distinguished officers who served 
in the Array of the Tennessee, none was more popu- 
lar or more universally respected than General Hovey. 
He commanded the division that bore the brunt of the 
battle of Champion^s Hill, and if the corps to which 
he belonged, or a reasonable portion of it, had been 
sent to his support, in addition to the assistance fur- 
nished him from McPherson^s corps, Pemberton's 
army would have suffered a rout, and the siege of 
Vicksburg have been averted. In consequence of the 
great loss sustained by Hovey^s division in that en- 
gagement, it was left encamped on the field of battle, 
to look after the wounded and take charge of the pris- 
oners. It was not long, however, before it took. its 
place in the line of the besieging army, where it re- 
mained until the close of the 8ieo:e. 

The morning of the 22d of May was the time fixed 
for the assault upon the works at Vicksburg; and, 
while standing upon an eminence in the rear of my 
brigade that overlooked the Confederate line for a 
long distance on our right and left. General Hovey 
came up the hill on foot and stood by my side. The 
hour of ten was the time the assaulting column was to 
start, and we were looking at my watch so as to be on 
time in giving the order to advance. Not a flag could 
be seen upon the Confederate works, nor were there 
any evidences that there was a single soldier in the 
rifle-pits. The General remarked to me that he be- 
lieved they had evacuated the city, and would give us 
no fight. An old building on fire in the suburbs of 
the place served to strengthen our conviction that 



MlLltARY SERVICES. 16S 

they had abandoned the place. A few moments later 
convinced us of our error, for the enemy had only 
been keeping under cover to avoid the fierce fire of 
our artillery and to be ready for the terrible assault 
they knew would certainly follow. When the assault- 
ing columns were \^ithin good rifle range, all the flags 
around their line went up, and a deadly fire was 
poured upon our troops from every direction. What 
brought General Hovey to my side was somewhat a 
mystery to me at the time, but I found out afterward 
that his desire to participate in the engagement was 
such that he could not be kept in the rear, and came 
to the front and asked to be assigned to duty in some 
capacity, and General McClernand placed him in com- 
mand of all the artillery of the Thirteenth Corps dur- 
ing the assault. He performed his duty nobly, and 
won additional honors by his courageous conduct and 
admirable management of the forces under his com- 
mand. 



154 ALVIN P. HOVEY. 



CHAPTER Y. 

DIPLOMATIC AND CONGRESSIONAL SERVICE. 

General Hovey's war record had given him a wide 
reputation as a soldier. As he was known to possess 
the requisite qualifications for public office, in addi- 
tion to his military service, it was natural that he 
should be included in the distribution of civil honors 
after the war. On the r2th of August, 1865, he was, 
entirely without solicitation on his part, appointed 
United States Minister to Peru. He received the ap- 
pointment from President Andrew Johnson, but it was 
made upon the recommendation of General Grant. 
President Lincoln was assassinated in April, 1865, 
and President Johnson had not yet. cut loose from his 
Republican advisers. General Grant still had influ- 
ence with his administration. 

All old soldiers, and all patriotic Americans, .will 
admit that no higher compliment could be paid to any 
man than his voluntary recognition and recommenda- 
tion for office by the great patriot and soldier, General 
U. S. Grant. This compliment came to General 
Hovey. 

General Grant was a good hater and a good lover. 
He never forgot his enemies nor his friends. He was 
not vindictive, but he made a distinction between 



CONGRESSIONAL SERVICES. 155 

those he liked and those he did not like. He never 
forgot those whom he had learned to admire and like 
in the war. He never wanted any additional infor- 
mation in regard to them. . He knew them; at least, 
he thought he did, and that answered the same pur- 
pose. An acquaintance formed at the front when the 
fate of a campaign is hanging on a battle or a charge 
is not easily forgotten. 

The friendships of the war were lasting. The tie of 
comradeship was very strong. Men who met in the 
trenches did not require an introduction, but they be- 
came friends. It was the same with officers. Friend- 
ships begun under fire, on the march, or the bivouac, 
proved very lasting. Grant did not want any better 
friends than those he made at the front; and those 
whom he learned to like and trust there had his friend- 
ship and trust always. His recommendation of Gen- 
eral Hovey for Minister to Peru was a high indorse- 
ment of the latter's military record from the highest 
possible source. 

Shortly before his appointment to this position. Gen- 
eral Hovey had married, at Indianapolis, for his sec- 
ond wife, Mrs. Rosa Vallette, a daughter of Hon. 
Caleb B. Smith, a distinguished lawyer and politician. 
At New York, on their way to Peru, she was taken 
sick and died. General Hovey, thus a second time 
widowed, went out to Peru accompanied by his 
daughter, as elsewhere mentioned. 

General Hovey arrived at Lima, the capital of Peru, 
on the 20th of November, 1865. Peru, at that time, 



156 ALVIN P. HOVEY. 

was in a state of revolution, and Spain was seeking to 
overtnrn the existing government. A battle had re- 
cently been fought, and the dead were yet lying in the 
plaza when General Hovey arrived there. His mili- 
tary reputation had preceded him, and insured him a 
friendly reception from the authorities. Owing to the 
revolutionary state of affairs, he did not present his cre- 
dentials for several months, but in the mean time he 
was taken into the confidence of the Peruvian govern- 
ment officials. 

On the 1st of May, after Mendez Nunez, the Spanish 
Admiral, had announced his intention to bombard 
Callao, as he had done Valparaiso, President Prado 
sent for General Hovey to meet him. The President 
was found surrounded by his Cabinet and several of 
his staff. When General Hovey entered the room the 
President approached him and said : " I have sent for 
you to advise with you, not as a diplomate, but as one 
of the best friends of America, in our great emergency. 
What do you think of to-morrow?'' General Hovey 
replied that, as an officer of tlie United States govern- 
ment, which held friendly relations with both Spain 
and Peru, he had no right to advise him. ^' But,'' 
said the President, ^^tell me privately, as a friend, 
what are your opinions?" General Hovey replied: 
" If the fleet fight you with vigor, and in the proper 
manner, they ought to whip you in fifteen minutes." 
The President and entire Cabinet seemed surprised, 
and desired to know the reasons for this statement. 
"The Spanish fleet can fire ten guns to your one," 
\Y^s the reply, "and if they close upou you so as to 



CONGRESSIONAL SERVICES. 157 

effectually use shell, grape and canister, I believe they 
will silence all your batteries and destroy your town. 
Your only hope is to make them fight you at long 
range.'' The Secretary of War dissented from this 
view. ^' Very well, Mr. Secretary of War,'' said Gen- 
eral Hovey, '^ Peruvians may be able to meet ten guns 
with one, but my people, though I have seen some 
little service, are not so firm and brave.'' President 
Prado then asked General Hovey what he thought 
should be done. '^ Make them, if possible, fight you 
at long range/' was the reply, " and then you are sure 
of victory." To the inquiry how this could be done, 
he answered : " It is not for me to say ; but torpedoes 
are dangerous, and ships and sailors have a holy horror 
of them." The torpedo suggestion was adopted. That 
night forty barrels of powder, connecting by wire with 
an electrical battery on shore, were sunk in the bay. 
The next morning the fight opened, and the fleet bore 
bravely up toward the forts, reaching within three- 
quarters of a mile. Then, as they were exchanging 
shots, two torpedoes exploded, throwing a column of 
water one hundred and fifty feet in the air. The whole 
Spanish fleet immediately retired, and did the rest of 
their fighting at long range. A long-range fight was 
what the Peruvians wanted. They had only a few 
guns for defense, but they were very heavy and were 
exceedingly destructive at long range, so that when 
the Spanish fleet withdrew to a distance for the 
purpose of bombarding the capital, the long-range 
cannon planted on land opened with terrific violence 
and drove the enemy to sea, 



158 ALVIN P. HOVEY. 

General Hovey, from a vantage point on the United 
States man-of-war Powhatan, viewed the effects of his 
plan, and, although he was not personally interested in 
the success or defeat of either side, he could not but 
help admire the general result. 

When General Hovey started to go ashore the Dic- 
tator signaled him and met him at the water's edge, 
and, throwing his arms about the General's neck, 
thanked him again jind again, and kissed him fer- 
vently. 

This military introduction put General Hovey on 
the best possible footing with the Peruvian authori- 
ties, and his subsequent relations with them were very 
friendly. Nearly two years later, when another revo- 
lution occurred, and President Prado was pursued and 
stoned by the populace, he sought refuge with his 
family in the American legation, where General Hovey 
and two or three other Americans, armed witli revolv- 
ers and rifles, protected them for two days and nights. 

While Minister at Peru General Hovey'8 corre- 
spondence with the State Department embraced vari- 
ous points of international law, and matters of interest 
to American citizens. Peru had a foreign war or revo- 
lution on her hands during most of his stay, and it 
was necessary to keep our government advised of 
military movements and administrative changes. His 
dispatches showed an intimate knowledge of the shift- 
ing phases of Peruvian politics, and those of Secretary 
Seward in reply showed that his information was duly 
appreciated, and his course approved. Among his 
more important dispatches were several relating^ to 



CONGRESSIONAL SERVICES. 159 

the claims of Americaa citizens against Peru for losses 
sustained on account of the revolution; relating to the 
mediation of the United States in the war between 
Spain and the allied republics of South America ; re- 
garding the recognition of the newly constituted gov- 
ernment of Peru, and other matters of similar import. 
On the 13th of August, 1868, a very destructive 
earthquake occurred in some parts of Peru, by which 
several towns were wholly or partially destroyed, 
thousands of lives lost, and millions of dollars^ worth 
of property destroyed. Great distress and suffering 
followed in some localities. General Hovey sent very 
interesting accounts of the disaster to the State De- 
partment. He also, in connection with United States 
naval officers, exerted himself for the relief of the suf- 
ferers, and dispatched a government vessel to Arica 
to assist in alleviating the distress. In the bay of 
Arica two United States ships were cast on shore by 
the convulsion and lost, with nearly forty men. Gen- 
eral Hovey^s prompt and generous conduct in this 
crisis was subsequently recognized by a formal ex- 
pression of thanks from the President of Peru through 
his Minister of Foreign Affairs. Secretary Seward wrote 
General Hovey, under date of September 30, 1868 : 
" The appalling calamities which have befallen Peru 
have deeply moved the sympathies of the President 
and the people of the United States. Your own pro- 
ceedings, in connection with Rear- Admiral Turner, in 
relieving the sufferers, are entirely approved and com- 
mended.'^ The Peruvian Congress also unanimously 
adopted a vote of thanks to the American Minister for 



160 ALVIN P. HOVeY. 

his sympathy and services in this behalf. In transmit- 
ting the action of Congress the Peruvian Minister of 
Foreign Affairs said : ^^ The celerity and zeal with which 
your excellency and the estimable officers of the Ameri- 
can navy hastened to relieve the necessities of the south, 
in the most pressing moments, fully justify this solemn 
manifestation of gratitude, which causes me such 
pleasure and honor in communicating to your excel- 
lency.'^ Secretary Seward, on learning of the action 
of the Peruvian government, wrote General Hovey, 
November 20, 1868: '^ It is gratifying to learn that 
the generous and spirited efforts of the diplomatic and 
naval officers of the United States in that quarter 
toward the relief of the sufferings of Peruvian citizens 
from the efficts of the late terrible earthquakes have 
been thus acknowledged.'^ 

All this time General Hovey was conducting an 
active correspondence with the State Department and 
the Peruvian Minister of Foreign Affairs relative to the 
rights of American citizens, their claims for property 
destroyed in the revolution, etc. In this correspond- 
ence his legal training and knowledge of international 
law came in good use, and his dispatches show thor- 
ough knowledge of the legal questions involved. 

Once during his service in Peru General Hovey 
was censured by the newspaper organ of a revolution- 
ary faction for his refusal to recognize a revolutionary 
government. He declined to recognize it without in- 
structions from Washington. He sent a translation 
of the censorious article to the State Department, and 
in reply Secretary Seward wrote, March 4, 1868 : 



CONGRESSIONAL SERVICES. 161 

"Your account of the partisan discontent which was 
manifested in Lima in regard to your omission to rec- 
ognize at once, without instructions from your govern- 
ment, the military chief of a successful armed revolu- 
tion in Peru has been read with careful attention. 
Your proceeding on that occasion is again approved 
and confirmed. The United States could have no 
motive to intervene betw^een the political parties of a 
sister republic. They have every possible motive for 
sustaining, in every case, the deliberate and final action 
of the Avhole constituent people in every such repub- 
lic.^' Subsequent events fully justified the course pur- 
sued by General Hovey. 

General Hovey grew tired of foreign residence, and 
in July, 1870, he tendered his resignation, which was 
accepted in September. In a dispatch, shortly before 
his departure from the country, dated August 22, 1870, 
he said : " I have called Peru a republic. These 
words are too strong, but as she so styles herself I 
have used the phrase. As I understand the word, 
there are no republics in South America. In my 
opinion, the people do not govern, constitution and 
laws do not control. The will of a few families alone 
is the law. Still, the shadow of freedom is exhibited 
on every occasion to the public gaze, and the people 
cling to and adore it. I can only hope that the shadow 
may, some day, become a substance ; for, in the full- 
ness of my heart, my best v/ishes are for the future 
progress and welfare of Peru," 



162 ALVIN P. HOVEY. 

Upon his return to the United States General Hovey 
resumed the practice of law at Mount Vernon. It had 
been just ten years since he left his home and pro- 
fession at the beginning of the war. During that pe- 
riod he had had a varied experience, and his public 
services had formed no inconsrderable part of the his- 
tory of the times. In resuming the practice of law 
he formed a partnership with Hon. G. W. Meuzies, 
who had married his daughter in Peru. 

During the next fifteen years General Hovey was 
not in public life, and did not take a prominent part 
in politics. He had enjoyed enough of the excitement 
and honors of military and civil life to make him rel- 
ish the pleasures of retirement. 

In 1886 he was nominated for Congress by the Re- 
publicans of his district, and accepted the nomination 
in the following letter: 

^' Gentlemen — I have the honor to acknowledge the 
receipt of your communication of the 20th ult., in- 
forming me that the Republicans of the First Con- 
gressional District of Indiana, on the 29th of July, 
1886, selected and nominated me as their candidate for 
Representative for Congress of the United States, and 
inclosing copies of the resolutions passed by said con- 
vention. I accept the nomination and approve the 
resolutions. 

" It may not be improper to state my views more at 
large upon some of the subjects referred to in the reso- 
lutions. 

^' I do not agree in full with the theory of civil serv- 
ice proclaimed by the President, and far less with the 



Congressional services. 163 

action of the administration in ignoring and trampling 
that service under foot. I am opposed to quasi life 
tenures of office, save those provided for in the con- 
stitution, and believe that every person holding an 
office, whether Democrat or Republican, should have 
the right to enjoy the same for the full term for which 
he may have been commissioned, unless he forfeits it 
by some illegal act, and do not believe that either re- 
ligious or political opinions can constitute such illegal 
acts. The thought that political parties are to Mexi- 
canize our government, and fight for office and place 
only, is too degrading to be entertained by any man 
who loves his country. Let ^the spoils go to the 
victor,^ but do not claim the offices until they are 
legally vacant. The immediate surrender of all the 
offices of the government to a successful party is the 
bribe offered by demagogues, and can only lead to 
fatal results. Let the examples of the South American 
republics be a warning. As long as our parties divide 
for the sake of political principles the republic is safe; 
but when the contest is for office only, we are making 
a wide departure from free institutions and the prac- 
tice of our fathers. 

'^ The President has placed himself in opposition to a 
Democratic House of Representatives and a Repub- 
lican Senate, and sneeringly vetoed pension bills passed 
by large majorities of both, on technical and trivial 
pretenses. Widows and orphans must suffer to permit 
the great head of the nation to ventilate his wit and 
override the legislative branch of our government. He 
has already vetoed more bills than all the Presidents 



164 ALVIK P. HOVEY. 

from Washington down. Now let us look at some of 
these vetoes from an equitable stand-point: 

" A soldier has volunteered to defend his country, an 
taken the oath prescribed by the articles of war. He 
must serve for the period of his enlistment. Desertion 
before the expiration of the term is a disgrace, to 
which may be added the punishment of death. He is 
compelled to serve, though the government should pay 
him nothing, and his family should be in want and 
destitution at home. As a matter of fact, in the late 
war he received his pay in greenbacks, which were 
only worth about thirty-five cents on the dollar, when 
he was entitled to have that dollar paid in gold. 
If such a contract hiad been made with a private per- 
son no court of law would refuse to give judgment for 
the loss sustained by the payment made in depreciated 
currency ; but now the President narrowly scans every 
little pension bill with a technical microscope, and re- 
fuses to the widow and the orphan a few dollars per 
month that should, in all honesty, have been paid to 
the dead soldier ! I am most emphatically opposed to 
such statesmanship. The country depends upon the 
volunteers for its protection and defense, and every 
law passed in their favor should be most liberally Ci)n- 
strued. 

" There is one class of men that, in my judgment, 
have been most shamefully treated — the men who 
fought, conquered and acquired a territory as large as 
an empire. They have brought millions into the 
treasury of the United States, and they are yet unrec- 
ognized, and many of them poor — I mean the heroes 



CONaRESSlONAL SERVICES. 165 

who marched from the Rio Grande to the halls of the 
Montezumas. The man who never served knows 
nothing of the privations and suiferings of the com- 
mon soldier. 

I can not concur in the efforts made by the admin- 
istration to demonetize silver. How could such an 
act be done witl;iout injustice and loss to the holder of 
the silver? The government has received for each 
dollar 100 cents in value. Would it be just upon the 
part of the United States to pass any law that would 
lessen that value unless the government should redeem 
such depreciated coin in gold dollar for dollar? No 
such justice has yet been suggested or dreamed of by 
this administration. Wall street, with her bankers 
and brokers, would grow richer and fatter, while the 
laboring man would find his silver dollar cut down to 
about seventy-five cents ! There can be no disturbance 
of the currency by the government, either in green- 
backs, silver or gold, that will not result in loss to the 
classes who are not brokers, bankers or millionaires. 
The greatest loss would naturally fall upon the labor- 
ing class, who receive a large part of their wages in 
silver. 

The greatest question of the hour and the age, which 
is now just beginning to show its head above the po- 
litical horizon, is the question of labor. The adjust- 
ment between capital and labor will require all the 
wisdom, forbearance and patriotism of our wisest and 
best men. The question is surrounded with great 
difficulties, and will be found of no easy solution. The 
rapidity with which millions are now accumulated, the 



166 ALVIN P. HOVeY. 

tendency of favoring and fostering great monopolies, 
the greed of gain, and the wide-spread intelligence 
among the working-classes, present phases and prob- 
lems of life unknown to any former period in the his- 
tory of the world. Members of Congress will have 
much to do in the solution of these grand problems, 
and they should be men familiar with every condition 
of life, and in morality and honesty beyond the reach 
of the millionaire. We should pause when we remem- 
ber how the Roman purple was once sold for corn. 
Does not history repeat itself, and is there* no danger 
now? We must not forget that we can not hope to 
find a political panacea in anything not founded on 
the principles of right between man and man. 

It is the duty of every elector to choose the best 
men, whoever they may be, to aid in the adjustment 
of this important question, which rises above all party 
and party names of the past. An aristocracy of wealth 
must not be built upon the ruins of our institutions, 
nor a thoughtless and blind force used to paralyze and 
destroy the progress of our wonderful nation. Law 
should always shield and protect the feeble and the 
weak, and curb and restrain the strong and aggressive. 
We should not forget that capital is the child of labor, 
and that neither capital nor labor can prosper and con- 
tinue unless the relations between the two shall be 
harmonious. No duty is more plain than that a child 
should protect its parent, and capital, being the off- 
spring of labor, should protect and shield the working 
classes. Like the Siamese twins, their separation 



CONGRESSIONAL SERVICES. 167 

would be the death of both, and anarchy would inev- 
itably follow. 

I have the honor to be your obedient servant, 

Alvin p. Hovey. 

General Hovey was elected by a majority of 1,309, 
although the district usually gave a Democratic ma- 
jority. 

On taking his seat in Congress he did not forget the 
professions of friendship made for the workingmen 
and old soldiers previous to his election. In the con- 
tested election case of Thoebe vs. Carlisle, he voted in 
favor of the contestant, a workingman, thereby in- 
curring the dislike of the Speaker, who can always 
find many ways of making his displeasure felt by those 
who have incurred it. General Hovey said in a 
recent speech : '^ I wanted only a full and free vote 
and a fair count, but we did not get it. The conse- 
quence was that I have paid somewhat of a penalty. 
By the kindness of Speaker Carlisle I have had to 
fight my way in that hall to be heard. I have had to 
fight even to get the least recognition from the chair. 
And why? Because I had the manhood to back the 
poor man who labored with his hands, and earned his 
living in the sweat of his brow.^^ But General Hovey 
rather enjoys a fight, and the weight of the Speaker^s 
displeasure was not sufficient to keep him down. For 
a new member, he managed to make himself heard and 
felt in Congress to a remarkable and unusual degree. 
On the 4th of January he offered a service pension 
bill, granting a pension of $8 per month for life to 
every honorably discharged officer, soldier or sailor 



168 ALVIN P. HOVEY. 

who had served not less than sixty days between March 
4, 1861, and July 1, 1865. This bill was referred to 
the Invalid Pensions Committee, of which Hon. Court- 
land C. Matson was chairman. On the same day Gen- 
eral Hovey offered a bill granting 160 acres of land 
to every honorably discharged officer, soldier or sailor 
who served during the late rebellion. He also intro- 
duced a bill ^^to equalize the payment and do justice 
to the officers, soldiers and sailors of the United States 
in the late rebellion who were paid in currency com- 
monly called ^ greenbacks,^ " which was referred to 
the Committee on Military Affairs. 

General Hovey embraced the first opportunity he 
could get to impress upon the House his views relative 
to the duty of Congress and the country toward its 
defenders. On the 20th of April, 1888, the House 
being in Committee of the Whole, and having under 
consideration an appropriation bill. General Hovey 
delivered an eloquent speech upon the rights of ex- 
Union soldiers and sailors, and the duty of Congress 
to pass a liberal service pension bill. In the course 
of this speech he said: 

On the 4th of January last I offered a service pen- 
sion bill, No. 1,320, granting a pension of $S per 
month for life to every honorably discharged officer, 
soldier or sailor who had served in the army of the 
United States not less than sixty days between March 
4, 1861, and July 1, 1865. This bill was the same 
day referred to the Invalid Pensions Committee. On 
the same day I offered bill No. 1,319, granting _a 
bounty of 160 acres of land to every officer, soldier 



CONGRESSIONAL SERVICES. 169 

and sailor engaged in the military or naval service of 
the United States during the late rebellion of the so- 
called Confederate States, On the 16th of January 
last I offered a bill, No. 5,052, ^^to equalize th^ pay- 
ment and do justice to the officers, soldiers and sailors 
of the United States in the late rebellion who were 
paid in currency commonly called ^' greenbacks,'^ which 
was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs. 

I had hoped that at least one of these bills might 
possibly meet with the favor of one of those omnipo- 
tent committees, and be reported to this House for fair 
discussion, so that a vote on the ayes and noes might 
be taken ; but, like many other bills which have been 
introduced for the relief of the ex -soldiers of the late 
rebellion, neither of them has been reported, and they, 
too, have been smothered or filed in the unremembered 
pigeon-holes of the committee-rooms. Our ex-soldiers 
and sailors seem to be forgotten. Even the President^ 
in his message, made no allusion to them, their serv- 
ices or their sufferings, and his henchmen and parti- 
sans are following silently and closely in his footsteps. 

The Committee on Invalid Pensions is composed of 
nine Democrats and six Republicans, the Committee 
on Public Lands nine Democrats and five Republicans, 
and the Committee on Military Affairs eight Demo- 
crats and six Republicans, so that the Democrats of 
those committees have the power to report to this 
House any bill referred to them; or, they can crush, 
by refusing to report, every bill offered in favor of 
the ex-soldier. The responsibility is theirs, and I as- 
sure them they will be well remembered hereafter by 



170 AI.VIN P. HOVEY. 

the men whose rights they have so unfeelingly ignored. 

Now, Mr. Chairman, it seems to me that the com- 
mittees to whom those important bills have been re- 
ferred dare not bring one of them before this House 
for fair discussion and action. The people who do not 
understand the gag rules of this House are watching 
with wonder, and blaming their representatives for 
not forcing a vote on the most important questions of 
the day. 

Let us have a full hearing and a fair vote on the 
bills I have offered, and the '^Boys in Blue" next 
autumn will bury more Congressmen politically who 
vote against them than ever fell upon any field of bat- 
tle. The people do not understand the meshes with 
which the majority of this House have entangled legis- 
lation. Sir, we may talk about the power of the veto, 
the power of the President, the power of the crowned 
heads of Europe, but I greatly doubt if either has as 
much power in directing and molding legislation as 
the Speaker of this House under the parliamentary 
rules which have been adopted. He forms and selects 
the committees at his pleasure, and can so compose 
and arrange them as to favor or defeat the most im- 
j)ortant legislation. No member can be heard with- 
out his consent, and he can refuse for a whole session 
to recognize or hear the ablest orators on this floor. 

But we are asked. What have the ex-soldiers and 
sailors done that they now so imperatively demand 
legislation? The great ship called the "South" had 
lost her bearings, and was drifting, without compass 
or pilot, in storms and tempests, in the midst of rocks 



CONGRESSIONAL SERVICES. 171 

and shoals, near the great maelstrom of certain de- 
struction. Her great danger was seen by thousands, 
who rushed to her rescue. Many perished in their 
gallant effort to save her, while thousands returned 
from that terrible storm wounded, maimed, and with 
broken and shattered constitutions. But they saved 
the old ship from destruction. They brought her 
safely out to navigable waters and into the open and 
placid seas of sunshine and prosperity. And now the 
salvors of that old vessel come into this great court 
and ask that their services may be recognized by our 
government, and for. a small salvage that will keep 
many of the maimed and wounded from the chilling 
blasts of hunger and adversity. They are not asking 
alms, nor begging to be placed upon the lists of pen- 
sioners for charity; but they demand that all shall be 
treated alike for their gallant services. 

Would it be unjust to demand salvage from the own- 
ers of that old ship alone? No one asks it; but all 
should willingly join in doing justice, and in confer- 
ring that honor upon them which their daring, their 
gallantry, their sufferings and their sacrifices have so 
richly deserved. 

* * >I< '!< ^!c >j< ^^ 

We are flippantly told that our pension laws are 
ample and the most beneficent in the world, and that 
no ex-soldier has the right to find the least fault ^vith 
the generosity and paternal care of our government. 

Yes, we have pension laws where the red-tape ap- 
pendages, employes and machinery alone, not includ- 
ing any pensions, cost our government over $1,000,000 



172 ALVIN P. HOVEY. 

annually to dole out a pittance that would starve a 
dog to thousands of helpless men, widows and orphans. 

Sir, we ought to be ashamed of our niggardly legis- 
lation, for our nation is too great for such pitiful par- 
simony. The 151 rounds in the Jacob's ladder which 
leads the veteran to the Pension Department are 
.simply ridiculous. 

I have read where the noble Brutus proposed to 
'^coin his heart and drop his blood for drachmas," but 
it was reserved for our Solons who framed our pensi(ni 
laws to measure the value of our veterans' blood by 
the fraction of one copper cent! 

Only think of the blood and wounds of our soldiers 
being valued at |2.12J per month; at $2.66f per 
month; $4.66t per month. The fraction of one copper 
cent by halves and thirds being set apart in fifteen of 
the 151 grades to our maimed, broken-down and 
wounded soldiers ! These wise men must have had 
Shylock's famous " balance " to weigh their brother's 
blood, and after they had weighed the blood they must 
have examined every wound with a strong political 
microscope before they could figure pensions down to 
the fraction of one copper cent ! 

;|c -^ . ^ ^ * ^ ^ 

\Yhat a contrast between the first and last President 
of the United States! Washington, at the head of a 
nation with an empty treasury, without credit, and a 
worthless currency, with a sparsely settled country, 
not exceeding 4,000,000 of people, begging, insisting 
and demanding that the officers and soldiers who served 



CONGRESSIONAL SERVICES. 173 

under him should be pensioned with full pay during 
the term of their natural lives. 

Cleveland, at the head of the richest and greatest 
nation upon the face of the earth, containing a popula- 
tion of 63,000,000, with unbounded credit and re- 
sources, with a treasury filled to repletion, and the 
vaults almost bursting with gold and silver — Cleve- 
land, stubborn, stern and heartless, refusing even a 
mite of charity to the men who wrecked their fort- 
unes and their constitutions that our government 
might live. Cold and unshaken, with the greed of a 
miser, he has denied the demand of the people, and 
vetoed and trodden down the acts of the Senate and 
Representatives of the people of the United States ! 

When party passion and all individual hatreds shall 
have passed away the merciless pen of truth will draw 
the parallel and paint the contrast. The only palliative 
to the darkness of the picture will be found in the fact 
that Washington knew what the services and suffer- 
ings of the soldier were, and President Cleveland did 
not. 

The weary march, day and night, through heat and 
€old, in dust, mud, snow and rain, with hunger and 
thirst, and a damp earth for his bed ; the lone, dark 
watch on the picket line of death ; the skirmish, the 
battle, with its hail of musketry and roar of cannon ; 
the dead, the dying, the wounded, in the thick smoke 
of battle, may be faintly sketched by the poet, the 
orator and the painter, but can never be understood 
or realized by any man who has not been a soldier in 
battle. I am sure President Cleveland can not. 



174 ALVIN P. HOVEY. 

The Congressional Record of Sunday, July 29, 1888^ 
contained a speech purporting to have been delivered 
in the House the day before by Hon. C. C. Matson. 
On the 2d of August General Hovey replied to it at 
considerable length, making another eloquent appeal 
in favor of justice and generosity to the old soldiers. 
In this speech he said : 

We are told that our revenue is now derived from 
" war taxes/' Mr. Mills and his colleao-ues on the 
tariff debate have repeated this over and over again. 
'' The war tax ! '' '' the war tax ! ! '^ " the war tax ! ! ! '' 
has been ringing through this chamber for the last 
month, until the walls almost retain and reverberate 
its echo. 

Now, it must be clear that if it is a war tax, our 
great surplus in the treasury, which now amounts to 
over $130,000,000, should be primarily expended for 
war debts. 

1. To the ex-soldiers who made it possible for our 
government to pay any debts; and, 

2. To the bondholders who supplied our govern- 
ment with the ^'sinews of war" during the late re- 
bellion. 

The bondholders should be fully paid, but we should 
not entirely forget a little of the inside history. Bonds 
were bought with "greenbacks" at a discount; many 
of them were purchased at 70 cents to the dollar^ 
when greenbacks were not worth more than 60 or 70 
cents, thus making the actual cost to the bondholders 
about 50 cents to the dollar. These bonds have since 
risen in value until they are now held as high as |1.28 



CONGBESSIONAL SERVICES. 175 

in gold, and they have drawn interest from the date of 
their issue. 

The soldier, in his financial operations, has not 
fared quite so well, for he was compelled to receive his 
^'greenbacks'' when, on a general average, they were 
not worth more than 60 cents to the dollar, and he has 
never received either principal or interest for his 
losses on his depreciated paper. If the ex-soldier did 
not love ^^Urtcle Sam" so well, and if a suit at law 
could be brought for the diiference between the green- 
back and the gold dollar, there is no court in the world 
where justice is administered where he could not ob- 
tain a judgment. There can be no shadow of doubt 
upon his rights. 

The pension bill vetoed by the President in 1887 
only provided for ex-soldiers where there was a ^' total 
inability to procure their subsistence by daily labor.'' 

The Grand Army bill referred to by my colleague 
[Mr. Matson] defines the disability to be that ^' which 
totally incapacitates them for the performance of man- 
ual labor." The substitute reported to this House for 
the Senate bill also defines the disability to be that 
*' which totally incapacitates them for the performance 
of manual labor." 

But my colleague, the chairman of the Invalid 
Pension Committee [Mr. Matson], leaves no room to 
doubt what his views are in regard to pensions which 
should now be given to his comrades. 

In his House bill No. 1,329 he clearly draws the 
line that would cut off all from such relief except those 
^' who are now disabled, and are dependent upon charity 



176 ALVIN P. HOVEY. 

for a subsistence/^ and requires that the disability must 
be such "as would incapacitate them for any manual 
labor, and who are dependent upon public charity Tor 
their sustenance.'^ 

In other words, no ex-soldier, under his bill, could 
apply for a pension without first swearing he was a 
pauper, and then sustaining his claim by proving that 
he was an object of charity and wholly nnable to per- 
form any manual labor. 

I can not concur in favoring such a bill, but on 
the contrary vv'ould most gladly extend and grant a 
pension to every soldier who has served sixty days 
and who has received an honorable discharge. That 
service, discharge, and proof of his identity, would be 
all the red tape that I would require. But my gallant 
comrade and colleague draws a line where supplication 
and beggary begin, and charity comes with open hand 
to the rescue. I want no charity for the men who 
fought with me; I want justice, that justice which ha& 
been meted out to all the soldiers of the United States 
who stood by the stars and stripes in other days. God 
forbid that any soldier who fought by my side, or under 
our glorious banner, should be compelled to beg our 
government, which he faced death to save, for a pit- 
tance to keep him from the poor-house. 

The men who stood shoulder to shoulder on the 
crimsoned fields of death for the preservation of our 
government should never be required by any act of 
Congress to beg their bread like paupers. Such laws, 
in my opinion, would be deep stains upon our statute, 
and I can not understand how any true soldier could 



CONGRESSIONAL SERVICES. 177 

consent to place his comrade in that degrading condi- 
tion. 

Sir, I deeply regret the position of my colleague 
[Mr. Matson], for, with his prestige as a soldier, his 
talent, force, ability, and position, he may be able to 
check and defeat the enactment of laws which would 
throw rays of sunshine over many a now gloomy 
household of his comrade*, who boldly faced death 
under his commands. 

My colleague warmly espouses the principles of the 
Mills tariff bill. He says : 

'^ I am now, and have been constantly since that over- 
shadowing issue was made, a consistent and earnest 
friend of every measure that has been proposed for 
relief from overtaxation. I yield to no one in devo- 
tion to this cause, for I believe it to be the cause of all 
the people, and the soldiers are only a part of the great 
body politic.'^ 

The substance of this, if I understand it, is that the 
ex-soldier^s rights must give way to the omnipotency 
of the Mills tariff bill, to the -wisdom of free-trade 
reformers. This, no doubt, is loyal and true Democ- 
racy as held and taught by the leaders of the party. 
But my friend, seeing the effects of the Mills bill in 
reducing the revenue out of which pensions must be 
})aid, as a panacea, threatens to tax the rich men of 
our country to raise the funds out of which the sol- 
dier shall be paid. That is a long way off; we have 
the surplus now; why wait '^ for dead men's shoes?'' 
I will admonish my friend that before such an act will 
ever pass this House the last tombstone placed above 



178 ALVIN P. HOVEY. 

the graves of our veterans will have its marble crum- 
bled into dust. Such promises are more than vain. 

^- ^ ^ ^ ■^ ■^ -^ 

The President's vetoes are defended by my colleague, 
and eulogized as being the essence of perfection. He 
says ; 

"And so the President, in the discharge of his duty, 
not with malice or ill-will toward the claimant, but 
with a desire to do his duty only, states the facts upon 
which he founded his objections. I challenge any 
of his loud accusers to show any single instance in 
which he has animadverted unnecessarily against the 
claimant. When this wholesale charge is made, ask 
for the specifications. Let the case be cited, and the 
facts and the criticism go together.^' 

Yes, let us have the facts where such facts are fairly 
and legally obtained ; but it must not be overlooked 
that much of what the President calls facts is procured 
by the Pension Department and is entirely ex pa7^te. 
The soldier is seldom present, nor has he a chance of 
meeting his accusers face to face and cross-examine the 
witnesses who testify against him before the inquisi- 
torial examiners of the Pension Department. 

Remembering this, the President should not unneces- 
sarily tarnish the character of any one. His exalted 
position should forbid it. But he has not hesitated to 
to give such loose evidence or statements all the sanc- 
tion of his high official authority. 

I will quote a few of his charges, flings and sar- 
casms that he has used in vetoing the pension bills of 
poor and broken-down ex-soldiers who were defending 



CONGRESSIONAL SERVICES. 179 

our country while he, the President, was out of danger 
and at his ease in Buffalo. 

In the veto of the bill passed for John W. Ferris, 
June, 1886, he uses the following language: 

^' The ingenuity developed in the constant and per- 
sistent attacks upon the public treasurer by those 
claiming pensions, and in the increase of those already 
granted, is exhibited in bold relief by this attempt to 
include sore eyes among the results of diarrhea." 

Again, in the case of John W. Luce, June, 1886: 

" It is alleged that the examinations made by the 
Pension Bureau developed the fact that the deceased 
soldier was a man of quite intemperate habits." 

In his veto in the case of Alfred Denny, June, 1886, 
who swore that he was injured by being thrown for- 
ward on the pommel of his saddle, the President be- 
comes facetious, and says : 

^^The number of instances in which those of our 
soldiers who rode horses during the war were injured 
by being thrown forward on their saddles indicates 
that those saddles were very dangerous contrivances." 

The innuendo clearly points to the charge that many 
claimants of that kind were perjured. I most ear- 
nestly advise the President not to try any saddle of 
that kind himself, or he might change his opinion. 

In the case of Edward Ayers, May, 1886, the Presi- 
dent in his veto says : 

^' It is reported to me by a report from the Pension 
Bureau that after the alleged wound, and .in May or 
June, 1863, the claimant deserted, and was arrested 



180 ALVIN P. HOVEY. 

in the State of Indiana and returned to duty without 
trial/^ 

Here the President fastens on the ex-soldier a stain 
and a crime, the penalty of which would have been 
death, on the authority of a mere report. 

In the case of David W. Hamilton, May, 1886, he 
says : 

" If he had filed his application earlier it would 
have appeared in better faith, and it may be that he 
would have secured the evidence of his family physi- 
cian, if it was of the character he described/' 

His delay in filing his claim, in the mind of the 
President, seems conclusive proof of perjury. 

Every soldier who has served in the army will real- 
ize the injustice of the charge as made by the Presi- 
dent. Many, poor soldiers, from pride, have been 
restrained for years from presenting their just claims 
for a pension. 

The wit and humor of the President rise again to 
the surface in his veto of the bill of Andrew I. Wilson 
in June, 1886. 

^' Whatever else may be said of this claimant's 
achievements during his short military career, it must 
be conceded that he accumulated a great deal of dis- 
ability." 

Other cases might be multiplied in his numerous 
vetoes, but I deem it unnecessary to make more pub- 
lic his charges against soldiers of drunkenness and 
loathsome diseases. 

It should not be forgotten that in all his vetoes of 
private pension bills he virtually accuses every claim- 



CONGRESSIONAL SERVICES. 181 

ant and many witnesses of willful perjury, and the 
reports upon which he promulgates his libelous charges 
are founded on one-sided reports and rumors. If he 
were not shielded by his Presidential mantle actions 
for libel could be successfully brought against him on^ 
many of his vetoes. It should be remembered that he 
judges the claimant from his stand-point, and not by 
the testimony of the clainiant and his witnesses under 
oath, backed by the full indorsement of the Senate 
and House of Representatives. Surely, in such cases 
the power and cruelty of the one man are very great. 

My colleague goes into ecstacies over the approval 
by the President of the following acts : Widows^ act, 
March 12, 1886; act of August 4, 1886, increasing 
pensions to crippled soldiers ; act granting pensions to 
Mexican soldiers; act of June 7, 1888, granting arrears 
to widows of soldiers. If these acts were approved by 
the President without the coercion of political pressure, 
he is entitled to credit for simply performing a humane 
duty ; but it might be important to inquire who formu- 
lated those bills? Did the President ever suggest or 
recommend the passage of any bill or measure for the 
relief of the soldier? '^ I pause for a reply." 

I should be pleased if some great statesman would 
inform me where the difference is between a private 
bill for a pension and a general pension law, so far as 
it relates to the power of Congress in making such en- 
actments. Why should the President hold that the 
general law controlled all subsequent legislation? 
Surely, Congress has power to pass either, and com- 
plaint can not be made because the later law differs 



182 AliVIN p. HOVEY. 

from a statute formerly enacted. The President seems 
to treat the general ])ension law as a constitution, and 
annuls by its force all subsequent minor acts that do 
not conform to it. 

I have but a few more words to say in regard to the 
extraordinary speech of my colleague. It is evident 
on its face that it was not made to be heard in this 
House; and it was not. Between the lines it has the 
ring of '^ stump oratory/' as though it had been man- 
iifiictured for that purpose. It will not be misunder- 
stood by any one who takes the trouble to read it. No 
difference now whether its publication was regular or 
irregular; it is in the Congressional Record of Sunday y 
and can be transmitted by mail under his frank to all 
his constituency, and unanswered it is a pretty good 
electioneering document. 

There are some seeming inconsistencies in my col- 
league's remarks and different bills that I do not fully 
iindersland. 

He admits that a universal pension bill '^ is fast ap- 
proaching and will soon become a law." Why not 
now ? Will there ever be a better time ? In his pauper 
bill (No. 1,329), which I ask to be printed with my re- 
marks, he allows pensions only to those who are in- 
eapacitated from the performance of any manual labor, 
and who are dependent on public charity for their sus- 
tenance and $S per month ; but to accommodate all, in 
the bill reported by him from his committee as a sub- 
stitute for the Senate bill, he cuts down the pension to 
a cent a day for services performed ! 

He admits that with the grand surplus in the treas- 



CONGRESSIONAL SERVICES. 183 

ury we coald easily pay all the arrearages of our ex~ 
soldiers; yet during all these months his party, or 
he himself, has failed to procure any days for the con- 
sideration in this House of any of the more important 
bills that have been referred to his committee. It is 
strange how badly he, or we, have been treated ; but 
facts are stubborn things. His committee has had 
more bills referred to it than all the other committees 
combined. They have nearly all had their days set 
apart to them, but he has had none for general pen- 
sion lescislation. The ex-soldiers seem to have no 
rights that this House is bound to respect. 

Mr. Chairman, a grand panorama seems passing be- 
fore me. There are nearly 1,000,000 men in the col- 
umn. They look worn and thoughtful, and prema- 
turely old. Many of them are poorly clad, and some 
are in tatters. About 20,000 have fallen by the way- 
side and been carried to the poor-houses. Some are arm- 
less, some oii crutches, some emaciated and writhing 
with wounds long since received in battle, and which 
are still running and unhealed ! But few of the great 
mass seem prosperous, for all have passed through that 
ordeal which leaves poverty behind it. Still, they 
march forward with heads erect. Their step is the 
proud, measured step of the soldier. There is still 
pride in their bearing, for they know they are the 
remnant of that band of heroes who saved our nation 
from ruiu and wreck. 

Mr. Chairman, these are the men whose petitions 
by hundreds of thousands remain in our archives 
unread. These are the men whose just prayers are 



184 ALVIN P. HOVEY. 

unheeded and unanswered by the nation they have 
saved. 

These extracts from General Hovey's speech in 
Congress show how earnestly he espoused the soldiers^ 
oause. 

On the 8th of August, 1888, while still in Wash- 
ington, and attending to his duties as Representative 
in Congress, General Hovey was nominated for Gov- 
ernor by the Republican convention at Indianapolis. 
The nomination was made on the first ballot, amid 
great enthusiasm and unbounded applause. Like ev- 
.ery other civil office or honor that General Hovey has 
enjoyed, it came to him entirely unsolicited. He was 
not seeking the nomination, nor was he a candidate in 
the ordinary sense. He accepted it as the call of his 
fellow-citizens and his party to the performance of a 
public duty, and entered upon the canvass with his 
iiccustonied vigor. 

This hastily prepared sketch presents but an outline 
of the life and career of one who has served his State 
and country faithfully, and left his mark on the times 
in which he lived. General Hovey has had an excep- 
tionally varied and interesting career, and, if time aitd 
space permitted, the story of his life could be extended 
much beyond the scope of such a sketch as this. 



SKETCH OF IRA J. CHASE. 



It has ever' been the tendency of historians to award 
the main credit of successful wars and great victories 
to the leaders and officers of the victorious army. 
None know better than the leaders and officers them- 
selves that a very large share, if not the main por- 
tion, of the credit and glory is due to the privates — 
the men who carry the muskets and knapsacks, who 
make long, forced marches, who work in the trenches 
and do the fighting. It is but just to say that officers 
always seem willing and glad to accord the full meas- 
ure of credit to the privates. 

Among the vast number of those who composed 
the rank and file of the armies of the Union was 
Private Ira J. Chase, present Republican candidate for 
Lieutenant-Governor of Indiana. He was born in 
the village of Clarkson, Monroe county, New York, 
December 7, 1834. Three months later his parents 
removed to Medina, New York, where he was reared 
to the age of twenty. He had an honorable lineage. 
One of his ancestors, Samuel Chase, was a signer of 
the Declaration of Independence. Another, his great- 
grandfather, Rufus Chase, was one of twenty- four revo- 



186 SKETCH OF IRA J. CHASE. 

Intionary patriots who stole after nioht into the British 
camp, captured General Prescott, and brought hira into 
the American lines. It is said that General Washing- 
ton, on hearing of this daring exploit, condemned it, on 
the ground that the chances of a fatal termination 
were ton to one against its successful execution. He 
tempered his disapproJv^al, however, by adding that 
men of their heroic caliber were too scarce to be 
spared for such hazardous enterprises. Still another 
ancestor, his maternal grandfather, the Hon. Ira Mix, 
after whom he was christened, twice represented the 
county of Rutland in the Vermont Legislature prior 
to the Avar of 1812. 

Benjamin Chase, the father of Ira J., died ten years 
ago. He was a man of sterling integrity, and highly 
esteemed by all who knew him. The mother, now in 
her seventy-eighth year, and a lady of rare intelligence 
and most amiable character, makes her home with the 
son. 

Ira's early life had its full share of struggles and 
privations. While he was still a mere lad, the failure 
of his father's health threw the responsibility of sup- 
porting the family mainly upon his mother and him- 
self. His aged mother speaks with affectionate enthu- 
siasm of the heroic manner in whfch the boy grappled 
with his destiny. 

When he was twelve years of age the family moved 
to Milan, Ohio, where Ira attended school three years 
under the direction of Rev. Lemuel Bissell, a Presby- 
terian minister, who is now and has for thirty-eight 
years been a missionary to India. The boy improved 



SKETCH OF IRA J. CHASE. 187 

rapidly by the help of this good miDister, who became 
greatly attached to him, often begging the parents to 
turn over their son to his care, and promising to adopt 
and educate him. But the mother would not yield, 
and at the expiration of three years the family returned 
to Medina. The youth continued his efforts to obtain 
an education, and, entering the Medina academy, he 
worked his way through, under the encouragement 
and assistance of the principal, Major Thales Linds- 
ley, a graduate of West Point, and a scholar of rare 
accomplishments. 

In 1855 the family removed to Illinois, locating 
iirst on a small farm near Barrington, thirty miles 
from Chicago, wheie they struggled along with only 
tolerable success. 

In the mean time, Ira, after spending a year with 
his uncle, Ira Mix, at Jefferson suburb, now incorpo- 
rated within the limits of Chicago, began Leaching 
school, the delicate condition of his health forbidding 
manual labor. While engaged in this work, on March 
24, 1859, he married Miss Rhoda J. Castle, of Pala- 
tine, 111., who, like himself, was engaged in teaching. 

The beginning of the war found them as it found 
thousands of other young couples and happy little 
families, and with like results. Though loath to leave 
his wife and home, the prompting of patriotism and 
duty was too strong to resist, and he enlisted in Com- 
pany C, Nineteenth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, on 
the 17th of June, 1861. The regiment. was commanded 
by Colonel J. B. Turchin, later known better as Gen- 
eral Turchin, by promotion. 



188 SKETCH OF lEA J. CHASE. 

The Nineteenth Infantry left Chicago on July 12, 
1861, for Quincy, where it arrived the next day. On 
the 14th it received orders from General Hurl hurt to 
relieve the Twenty-first Illinois, under Colonel U. S. 
Grant, posted on the Hannibal and St. Joe Hailroad, 
from Quincy to Palmyra. ^'During two weeks^ stay 
in this locality,'' says the Adjutant-General's report, 
^'besides guarding several important bridges, they 
chased the newly organized rebel companies out of 
the various plantations, destroyed their barracks and 
provisions, obliged the citizens to pledge their allegi- 
ance to the government, encouraged the formation of 
home-guard companies at Palmyra and Newark, and 
suppressed the secessionists." 

General Fremont was then in command of the De- 
partment of Missouri. *^ The concentration of a strong 
rebel force at New Madrid, Missouri, obliged Fremont 
to concentrate a sufficient force at Bird's Point, oppo- 
site Cairo, on the Missouri side." The Nineteenth 
joined this expedition at St. Louis, and embarked with 
9,000 or 10,000 other troops on a large flotilla, arriv- 
ing at Bird's Point about the first of August. The 
Nineteenth Regiment was immediately detailed to Nor- 
folk, six miles below, is an advance guard, "where its 
duties were quite difficult and arduous." A week or 
two later the regiment joined an expedition to inter- 
cept General Pillow, who was reported as moving 
toward Ironton. On the 14th it was ordered to move 
to Jackson as advance guard to General Prentiss' 
army, then expecting to meet the enemy at Dallas. 
No engagement occurred, and the Nineteenth (on the 



SKETCH OF IRA J. CITASE. 189 

8th of September) took boats again and returned to 
Cairo. After a series of other marches and maneu- 
vers the regiment experienced a frightful disaster, by 
which twenty-four men, including Captain B. B. How- 
ard, were instantly killed, and 105 wounded. 

The regiment had left Cairo on the 16th of Septem- 
ber, and was proceeding toward Cincinnati on the 
Ohio and Mississippi Railroad. When forty-six miles 
east of Vincennes the second train, containing four 
companies and regimental staff, broke through the 
bridge over Beaver creek. The scene was appalling, 
and the loss of life (says the Roster of Illinois) " was 
nearly as great as the regiment suffered in any battle 
during its term of service.'^ Private Chase barely es- 
caped this disaster, having been detailed the day be- 
fore to do recruiting duty. 

On the 25th of September the regiment went into 
camp at Lebanon Junction, thirty-five miles south of 
Louisville, relieving the Louisville Legion. ^^Thus,'^ 
says the report of the Adjutant-General, ^^ after thou- 
sands of miles of traveling by river and by rail, the 
regiment at last got into a somewhat permanent camp, 
where it could drill, and improve itself in' guard and 
picket duty, and in battalion movements.^^ 

Among the officers and privates of the Nineteenth 
Infantry were a number of w^ell-disciplined soldiers 
who had belonged to the original company of Ells- 
worth's Zouaves. At all convenient seasons these 
efficient drill-masters employed the time acquainting 
the regiment with regulation tactics. Among other 
members recruited at Chicago, Private Chase became 



190 SKETCH OF IRA J. CHASE. 

greatly enamored of the zouave drill, and in order to 
become proficient therein he hired Corporal Bishop, of 
his company, to give him private lessons. Within a 
year his progress had become so apparent that General 
Turchin recognized it so far as to appoint him Orderly 
Sergeant, and detail him to drill raw recruits. His 
military aspirations were, however, destined to end in 
disappointment. His health, which had never been 
rugged, declined after his first year's service, and he 
was finally sent to the hospital for ti'eatment. This 
occurred while he was with his regiment at Hunt«- 
ville, Ala. While in the hospital there he was given 
up to die by his surgeon, Dr. R. G. Bogue, but he after- 
ward recovered sufficiently to bear removal to Nash- 
ville. Here he continued to improve, and at last be- 
came well enough to do hospital duty. He was ap- 
pointed hospital clerk in the latter part of the summer 
of 1862. 

When it became apparent that Private Chase was 
physically unfit for army service his surgeon advised 
him to retire from the army or he would soon be a 
dead man. Accepting the inevitable, he received his 
discha,rge papers November 7, 1862. 

Returning to Barringtou, Illinois, he joined his wife, 
and as soon as he was a^ble to attend to business 
stocked a hardware store and decided to try his hand 
at '^ merchandisi'ng.'' A year or two later his wife was 
prostrated with small-pox, and as she was the only 
victim in the town their house was shunned by all 
their neighbors, and Mr. Chase's business was ruined. 
He attended upon his wife constantly, and after a ter- 



SKETCH OF ISA J. CHASE. 191 

rible experience, lasting five raoiiths, she arose from the 
bed blind and crippled. One of her eyes has since 
been partially restored, but the other was totally lost, 
and she has not read a line for twenty-three years. 

After this last failure of Mr. Chase's business pros- 
pects, he determined to act upon the suggestion of 
friends and study for the ministry. He began preach- 
ing in the Christian Church twenty-one years ago, and 
has followed that profession with great credit to him- 
self ever since. As a minister he is widely known 
throughout the West. His first charge was at Mish- 
awaka, Indiana. Subsequently his appointments were 
as follows: 1867, La Porte; 1869, Pittsburgh, Pa. • 
1871, Peoria, HI.; 1880, Wabash; 1884 and after- 
ward, Danville, where he now resides. He has been 
prominent in State evangelical work since his campaign 
against Matson for Congress-. 

Five years ago he moved to Danville, Ind., and took 
charge of the Christian Church there. In February, 
1886, he was unanimously chosen by his Grand Army 
comrades, assembled at Indianapolis, as Chaplain of 
the Department of Indiana. Five months later he 
received the nomination as Republican candidate for 
Congress from the Fifth District of Indiana. He made 
a thorough canvass against Colonel C. C. Matson, and 
succeeded in reducing that gentleman's gerrymandered 
majority from 1,365 to 532. 

In February, 1887, he was elected at the grand en- 
campment of the G. A. R. as Department Commander, 
with a whirl of enthusiasm. While acting in this ca- 
pacity he endeared himself more than ever to his com- 



3 92 SKETCH OF IRA J. CHASE. 

rades, and when his term expired, last February, they 
re-elected him to the position of Chaplain. This was 
a surprise to him, and the unanimity with which it 
was done was only surpassed by the action of the State 
convention in June last, which gave him the nomina- 
tion for Lieutenant-Governor by acclamation and with 
great enthusiasm. 

Private Chase possesses natural social qualities to a 
degree rarely found, even in public men whose interest 
and business it is to cultivate them as an art. These 
traits were born in him, and lience never- had to be 
acquired. He is kind-hearted, unsuspicious, and ready 
to believe every man as honest as himself He is only 
intolerant of wrong, abominating nothing more than 
insincerity. As a speaker, he is persuasive and elo- 
quent. Candid to the point of simplicity, he has some- 
times excited the criticism of professional politicians 
as wanting art; but what he lacks in policy is more 
than made up in cordial frankness and genuine sin- 
cerity. 

If elected Lieutenant-Governor he will make a good 
and conscientious public officer, and will be found 
broad enough to represent all the people whose inter- 
ests it shall be his duty to subserve. 

Since Mr. Chasers nomination he has received many 
congratulatory letters from old comrades and friends 
in Indiana and other States. As a specimen of com- 
radeship, the following, from the .Nineteenth Illinois 
Infantry Veteran Club, at Chicago, will serve. It is 
signed by the secretary of that organization, T. M. 
Beatty, and reads : 



SKETCH OF IRA J. CHASE. 19S 

^^ The Nineteenth Illinois Veteran Club desires, 
through me, to tender their most hearty congratula- 
tions on your nomination to the honorable office of 
Lieutenant-Governor of Indiana. They sincerely 
hope the people of Indiana will do themselves the 
credit of electing you to that office by a large majority, 
as we feel that, with you as the incumbent, the duties 
of the office will be performed with that ability, fidelity 
and patriotism which characterized your service in the 
regiment.'^ 

General John B. Turchin, his old commander, wrote 
a congratulary letter, in which he expressed the hope 
that Mr. Chase's nomination for Lieutenant-Governor 
would be confirmed by the votes of the citizens of 
Indiana. " You belong to those patriotic men," the 
letter continued, '^ who at the first call shouldered 
the musket to fight the country's cause and to preserve 
the Union. You have done fully your duty while in 
the army, and although being worthy of promotion, 
your own advancement, like that of many other worthy 
comrades, was prevented by injudicious regulations 
adopted by the Governors of Western States. But 
shoulder-straps can not be considered as preminms on 
patriotism ; the honor of saving the country belongs 
by right rather to the men of the ranks than to those 
who commanded them, as they had the heaviest load 
to carry. Your industry, perseverance and worth as 
a citizen, since the late war, have put you forward 
ahead of many others who were your superiors in 
the army. Hence, more honor to you and others like 
you. As for me, I can not but be proud, seeing one 



194 GEMS FROM BENJAMIN HARRISON. 

of the boys of my own regiment get promoted by his 
fellow-citizens to the exalted position of Lieutenant- 
Governor of the great State of Indiana.'^ 



GEMS FROM GENERAL HARRISON^S 
SPEECHES. 



From the day of General Harrison's nomination 
until that of his departure from Indianapolis for a short 
vacation^ that is, from June 26 to August 18, he made 
forty-one speeches. These speeches were made to 
visiting delegations from this ^nd other States, includ- 
ing several clubs and special organizations, but mostly 
unorganized masses of people. Sometimes their com- 
ing was announced a few days in advance, and some- 
times only a few hours. In every case there was a 
spokesman on behalf of the visitors, w^hose speech pre- 
ceded that of General Harrison. The latter never 
knew in advance what the spokesman was going to 
say, but always shaped his own speech somewhat with 
reference to \vhat had been said. General Harrison's 
speeches were, in every instance, extemporaneous, that 
is, delivered without manuscript or notes. The speeches 



GEMS FROM BENJAMIN HARRISON. 195 

were reported in short-hand, and given to the press just 
as delivered, excepting such slight verbal alterations 
as are almost always found necessary in proof-reading. 
They covered a variety of topics, and, though touch- 
ing on many points, each one was short. The follow- 
ing sentences indicate the general line of thought in 
the speeches. Without including all the speeches, or 
all the striking sentences, they form an interesting 
collection of campaign texts. They are not selected 
because they are better than other sentences that might 
have been selected, but because each one is complete 
in itself, and a sort of key-note to the speech from 
which it is taken : 

^^ Kings sometimes bestow upon those whom they 
desire to honor decorations. But that man is most 
highly decorated who has the regard and affection of 
his friends.'^ 

" The comradeship of the war will never end until 
our lives end." 

" We could always depend upon the faithfulness of 
the black man. He might be mistaken, but he was 
never false. ^^ 

" I do not know why we can not hold our political 
differences with respect for each other's opinions, and 
with entire respect for each other personally." 

'^Any development that does not reach and benefi- 
cially affect all our people is not to be desired." 

'^Any policy that transfers production from the 



196 GEMS FROM BENJAMIN HARRISON. 

Americau to the Euglish or German shop works an 
injury to all American workmen." 

"A manly assertion by each of liis individual rights, 
and a manly concession of equal rights to every other 
man, are the boast and the law of good citizenship." 

"The gates of Castle Garden swing inward. They 
do not swing outward to any American laborer seek- 
ing a better country than this." 

" The Republican party stands for the ])rinciple of 
protection." 

"There is a sense of justice, of fairness, that will 
assert itself against these attempts to coin party advan- 
tages out of public W'rong. The day when men can 
be disfranchised or shorn of their political power for 
opinion^s sake must have an end in our country." 

" We believe it to be good for the whole country 
that loyalty and fidelity to the flag should be honored." 

"Our party stands unequivocalh^, without evasion 
or qualification, for the doctrine that the American 
market shall be preserved for our American produc- 
ers." 

"My countrymen, it is no time now to use an 
apothecary's scale to weigh the rewards of the men 
who saved the country." ^^ 

"It is one of the best evidences of the prosperity of 
our cities that so large a proportion of the men who 
work are covered by their own roof-trees. If we would 
perpetuate this condition we must maintain the Ameri- 
can scale of wages." 

" The laboring men of this land may safely trust 



GEMS FROM BENJAMIN HAERISON. 197 

every just reform in which they are interested to pub- 
lic discussion and to the logic of reason." 

" It can easily be demonstrated that if our revenue 
laws were so adjusted that the imports from Great 
Britain should be doubled it would be good for the 
workingmen of England, but I think it would be hard 
to demonstrate that it would be good for the working- 
men of America." 

"Education is the great conservative and assimilat- 
ing force. Therefore, in our political campaigns let 
men think for themselves, and the truth will assert its 
sway over the minds of our people." 

" The home is the best and is the first school of good 
citizenship. It is the great conservative and assimi- 
lating force. I should despair for my country if 
American citizens were to be trained only in our 
schools, valuable as their instruction is. It is in the 
home that we first learn obedience and respect for law." 

" The protective system is a barrier against the 
flood of foreign importations and the competition of 
underpaid labor in Europe. Those who want to lower 
the dike owe it to those who live behind it to make a 
plain statement of their purposes." 

" Every safeguard of law should be thrown around 
the ballot-box until fraud in voting and frauds in 
counting shall receive the sure penalties of law, as 
well. as the reprobation of all good men." 

'^The disastrous effects upon our workingmen and 
workingwomen of competition with cheap, under- 
paid labor are not obviated by keeping the cheap 



198 GEMS FKOM BENJAMIN HAKRISON. 

worker over the sea if the product of his cheap labor 
is allowed free competition in our market. We should 
protect our people against competition with the prod- 
ucts of underpaid labor abroad, as well as against 
the coming to our shores of paupers, laborers under 
contract, and the Chinese labor." 

" The Republican party has never found it neces- 
sary or consistent with its great principles to suppress 
free discussion of any question. There is not a Re- 
publican community where any man may not advo- 
cate, without fear, his political belief" 

" Do not allow any one to persuade you that the 
great contest as to our tariff policy is one between 
schedules. It is not a question of a seven per cent, 
reduction. It is a question between wide-apart prin- 
ciples — the principle of protection, the intelligent 
recognition in the framing of our tariff laws of the 
duty to protect our American industries and maintain 
the American scale of wages by adequate discriminat- 
ing duties on the one hand, and on the other a denial 
of the constitutional right to make our customs duties 
protective, or the assertion of the doctrine that free 
competition with foreign products is the ideal condi- 
tion to which all our legislation should tend." 



MISCELLANY. 199 

THE CONFEDERATE IDEA. 



The following formed part of the revenue article of 
the Confederate constitution : 

" The Congress shall have power to lay and collect 
taxes, duties, imposts and excises for revenue necessary 
to pay the debts, provide for the common defense and 
carry on the government of the Confederate States ; 
but no bounties shall be granted from the treasury, 
nor shall any duties or taxes on importations from 
foreign nations be laid to promote or foster any branch 
of industry; and all duties, imposts and excises shall 
be uniform throughout all Confederate States.^' 

This effort to introduce free trade proved unsuccess- 
ful, but the same men who made the Confederate con- 
stitution are trying to accomplish the same object l)y 
forcing the Mills free trade bill through Congress. 



SPEECH OF PRINCE BISMARCK IN REICH- 
STAG, MAY 14, 1882. 



*' The success of the United States in material de- 
velopment is the most illustrious of modern times. 
The American nation has not only successfully borne 
and suppressed the most gigantic and expensive war 
of all history, but immediately afterward disbanded 
its army, found employment for all its soldiers and 
marines, paid off most of its debt, given labor and 
homes to all the unemployed of Europe as fast as they 
could arrive in its territory, and still by a system of 



200 



MISCELLANY. 



taxation so indirect as not to be perceived, mucb less 
fe]t. The United States found every year a great and 
growing surplus in the treasury, which it could expend 
upon natural defenses or npon natural improvements. 
While the American republic was enjoying this 
peculiar prosperity, the countries of Europe which 
America most relieved by absorbing their unemployed 
population were apparently continually getting worse 
off. "^ * ^ Because it is my deliberate judgment 
that the prosperity of America is mainly due to its 
system of protective laws, I now urge that Germany 
has reached the point when it is necessary to emulate 
the tariff system of the United States.'^ 



REPORT OF PRESIDENT OF GERMAN COM- 
MISSION TO U. S. CENTENNIAL EXPOSI- 
TION. 



" The present condition of American manufactures 
shows the fallacy of the free-trade doctrine that the 
productions of a country are raised in price by pro- 
tective duties/^ 



We raised 457,500,400 bushels of wheat in 1887 
and exported 33 per cent, of the quantity. In 1879 
we exported 40 per cent, of our wheat product. This 
means that our home market is gradually becoming 
large enough to absorb our total wheat production, 
and that we shall soon retire from the business of 
raising a surplus that the foreigner may profit. 



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